Reaper's Rising
by zoepeanut
Summary: Set in the ROTG universe, before the movie. Zeref had been a young boy, living an isolated life after his family was killed. One day, he is chosen to receive a great gift, but his powers are more of a curse than a blessing. Lost and unaware of his purpose in his new life, he befriends another new spirit, seeking answers for their shared, mysterious existence.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Snow was on the ground in the forest as Zeref frowned, shivering slightly from the cold. He was dressed plainly, in a loose-fitting black shirt covered with a white coat. His pants were just as dark as his shirt, with boots keeping his feet warm in the weather. He did not like going out in the cold, but it was a necessary act. He had to gather fire wood, or else he would be sleeping in the snow tonight.

With wood in his arms, Zeref paused and glanced through the trees towards a clearing. Two children seemed to be playing, oblivious to the somewhat warmer than usual weather for the time of year. There may have been snow on the ground, but the sun gave a bit of warmth to the area that was not common for winter. While Zeref was still shivering from the temperature, the snow was dying away, drops of slush falling from trees as it began to melt.

The lake the children were skiing on appeared to be holding up for the most part, but Zeref knew it would not last much longer. He stepped somewhat closer, frowning as he quietly observed them. He would not make it soon enough, he noted. The ice was cracking, and the brunette girl was frozen in fear. The elder boy, with eyes just as brown as hers, seemed to be trying to calm her. A smile was on his face, which made Zeref pause in return. Few would smile when facing death, not even Zeref would do so.

Closing his eyes, Zeref saw another face in his mind. An old man, towering over him with a gleeful smile on his face. The man's stubbly beard had kept Zeref's focus, similar to his own father's facial hair. A knife had been in the man's grip. Flinching, Zeref shook his head and returned his focus to the children before him instead.

"…we're going to play hopscotch, like we do…" the male was saying, making Zeref frown. The brunette boy stood taller, grinning as he demonstrated his game and hopped along the ice. It was quite a strange plan, but Zeref's eyes widened as he realized what the boy had done. This Jack, as the girl had called him, was not as blind as he appeared. By placing himself closer to a fallen tree branch, he now had a tool to help his sister.

Zeref's feet crunched against the snow, pressing his palm to the trunk of one of the nearby trees as he leaned around it for a better view. As expected, his walk had taken too long to truly save either of them, but the boy's plan did miracles. He threw the girl into the snow bank by Zeref's side. With the girl unaware of his presence, he watched her grin triumphantly back at her brother for a brief moment. That was before the cracks deepened from the stress Jack had just put on them, finally giving away to the weight of the boy's body. He fell through, a splash of water just barely touching the surface of the mostly frozen pond.

"Jack!" the girl cried, rising to her feet with her brown eyes wide. Zeref had moved closer and was by her side, hearing just how loud her shout was. Her feet seemed frozen to the ground for a moment, before she took a deep breath and began to move forward. "Hold on, I'm coming for you, Jack!"

"No, it is too late." Zeref stated calmly, making the girl jump back in surprise. Her eyes were still wide and panicked, but seeing Zeref seemed to put some form of hope in her.

"What—never mind, please, help my brother! We were…we were just trying to play, and he….Jack, he…" he sobs made her break off, as she pointed towards the hole in the ice.

Nodding, Zeref's small frown broke apart as he sighed deeply. "Yes, I was here and saw him fall. Now, he will drown beneath the frozen surface of the water. Even if we did manage to pull him free, the cold water clinging to his skin would slowly ebb away at his life, leaving him with a much slower and more painful end. Leaving him in the water is truly the more merciful thing to do." he explained.

He was not surprised when the girl slapped him, her hand moving quickly and making his cheek sting. "No! How could you say that? Don't you feel anything?" she questioned.

Zeref let his chin fall to his chest, his hair dangling in his eyes. He did care, but that was the problem. He had avoided caring for life, but he always saw beauty in it regardless. Zeref's care for living things was what brought him so much pain. "I…I never claimed to be unaffected by this event. I am simply analyzing Jack's situation."

A shaky breath seemed to rock her shoulders, her legs finally giving out as she collapsed into the snow once more. "No…Jack can't be…he was protecting me! And you…who are you anyway? Why are you here?"

Looking away, Zeref hesitated to give her his name. Children always treated him differently when they learned who he was. In fact, everyone did, now that he thought about it. "I…my name is Zeref." he replied quietly.

Gasping, the girl's brown eyes went wide at the sight of him. "Zeref…you're the…the orphan that my parents talked about…" she looked frightened, her eyes wide as she scooted back in the snow, leaving a shallow trail where she moved.

There was a distant look in Zeref's eyes, and a slight glint of moisture as he turned back to face her. "Yes, I likely am. I'm certain you've heard the story, a robbery gone wrong. My parents…they died right before my eyes." he stated quietly. "Tragedies like these always alter a person. Once you've seen death firsthand, you will never be the same."

"I…" the girl hesitated, glancing towards the pond where Jack had fallen. "Maybe you are right…" she whispered. Tears were still falling down her cheeks, but her brown eyes focused on Zeref once more. "I'm Emily, Emily Overland. It is nice to meet you, Zeref."

Shaking her hand, Zeref helped pull the girl to her feet. "Life and death, it is an endless cycle. Learn to accept that all things eventually perish, it will be what helps you accept events such as these."

"Is that…did it work for you?" Emily asked quietly, her small hand still in his own. She was likely about eleven, if he had to guess, about six years younger than himself.

Pulling her through the trees and ignoring his original task, Zeref focused on helping this child. "In a way, I suppose. My situation differed from yours…." his voice trailed off, uncertain of how much she had heard about his past. Gazing at her, he could see the slight tension in her shoulders. He felt her tug at her hand gently, trying to put some space between them even as they walked. "The man that robbed and killed my parents…found and tried to kill me."

"I know, you don't have to explain." Emily stated softly.

He could hear the slight tremor in her voice, the fear of learning details on just how someone could become a murderer. Zeref knew just how valuable life was, after losing the two people he cared about more than anyone else in the world. Watching one man do it, however, had led to a different emotion than sorrow in his heart. Rage filled him; with every fiber of his being he hated that man. With tears in his eyes, he had grabbed the knife in the man's hand by the blade when he attacked, shocking the older man and allowing Zeref to pull it free. Once he was armed, the rest had been simple.

The robbery had occurred nearly eight years ago, but the memories never faded from Zeref's mind. "Coping with the guilt of what I had done….keeping that in mind did help. Taking away a life is unforgivable, but in some cases, life must be stolen away. All living things give their lives in an endless cycle, allowing new life to be born from their dying energy. There is a beauty in it, I suppose, though it takes time to understand and see such things."

Emily sniffled, wiping at her nose before shaking her head. "I…I don't want beauty." she stated quietly. "I..I just want Jack…he always played games, and it may have gotten annoying but….he made me smile and laugh. I…I want my brother…please…"

He wished he could help her, he truly did. The sun was setting, and a bright full moon was beginning to rise into the sky. "Emily, do head my advice. Death is always a part of life, even if it hurts us to accept it." he told her, keeping his distance this time. "Your brother is gone, that is all there is to it. You are alive, so keep moving forward, and learn to smile for yourself."

He felt the girl shove him harshly, glaring at him with tears still streaming down her face. "You're mean! Stop saying…stop saying he's…we could have saved him…why wouldn't you even try? Jack's gone, and I let you talk me out of saving him!"

This child was becoming irrational. He knew how the guilt felt; blaming yourself for the ending of anyone's life was not pleasant. Emily's shoulders shook, her body collapsing on the ground in her sobs. Leaning forward, Zeref began to pick the exhausted child up into his arms. She weakly fought back against him, kicking out her legs and smacking his chest. Her strength was gone, though, and she seemed to have used the last of her energy with her last shout towards Zeref.

Returning to Burgess, Zeref observed the small homes with a frown. He had heard of the Overlands, but there home was a bit isolated compared to those of others. He had to push past most of the homes he had grown accustomed to avoiding to reach it. People watched as he walked through the streets, a few of them whispering as they recognized Zeref, the orphaned child that killed his parents' killer. They kept their distance as if he carried the plague, though Zeref had grown used to such actions.

With his head still down, Zeref finally managed to arrive at Emily's home. Gently, he knocked on the door and placed her body on the porch. Her parents would find her, and perhaps she could give them the news in a better way than he could. While death may have claimed her brother's life, it was her family that would help her recover from such an action. He stepped off into the darkness of the night, turning back just once to see Emily's small body tightly gripped by her mother. The woman was stroking Emily's hair, turning away and moving back inside of her home with wide eyes.

Smiling lightly, Zeref turned to return. Maybe he had not helped Emily, but he knew he had at least brought her to a place where help could be found. He wandered back into the nearby forest, finding a spot under the stars to lean back and rest. The moon shone brightly above him, and for a brief moment, the light of it seemed to capture his entire attention span. The brightness seemed to encompass the entire sky, shining down on Zeref and energizing his body unlike anything else in the world. Reaching upwards towards the light, Zeref almost felt as if he could speak to the moon itself, a man resting within that would answer his prayers. His mouth opened slightly to speak, but no words came out. The feeling gradually began to fade, his arm falling behind his head as he frowned up at the sky. _Grim Reaper._ A voice seemed to echo in his mind for a brief moment, but Zeref closed his eyes and decided he had only imagined those words. His exhaustion was gone, but the moon still stared back at him, as if pleading with him to ask it a question.

 **I've been trying to get back into writing for ROTG for a while now, but my ideas always seem to end half-way through. This is a crossover I thought of a while ago, and it has been sitting on my computer for a long time, waiting for me to find some inspiration to finish it. I can't guarantee I'll think of an actual ending for this...but ideas are welcome! I do have a little bit planned out, but for now I'll end it here so I can try and come up with a more finite plan. Reviews with suggestions and feedback will help keep me inspired to continue, for those interested in more!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

It was strange, Zeref thought. As hard as he tried that night, he found himself incapable of falling asleep. Any sense of being tired had vanished from his body, and now, he was rather restless. He sat up in the forest, gazing around himself with a slight frown. Something wasn't right about himself, that much he was certain of.

With nothing else to do, Zeref began to wander back towards town. Perhaps someone else would know what was going on with him, and at least be capable of answering some of his questions. There was a physician somewhere in the village, he recalled. Maybe the cold had done something to his senses.

Nothing seemed unusual about the village when he returned. It was still dark out, but people were wandering around finishing up their work to stay warm throughout the night. A fire burned nearby, warming people as they went towards their homes. Children huddled against their parents, looking eager to get out of the chilly weather. Walking close to the edge of the street, Zeref avoided them all.

"Hello. Hello!" a boy was shouting in the street, walking towards an older woman. turning his head, Zeref's eyes widened at the familiar face and clothing. He looked just like Jack, only instead of dark brown hair, it was a stark white that matched the snow still lingering on the ground. "Good evening, ma'am." he continued on.

Curious, Zeref stopped from his trek towards the physician towards the boy before him. Hearing Jack ask for directions, he thought it was odd that no one seemed to be replying. That was when he saw it happen. A child had been rushing for home, not seeing Jack in the street. Zeref expected a collision, but instead, the child seemed to pass directly through the white haired boy. Jack stumbled back a few steps, touching his stomach where the child had walked through. He was breathing quickly, looking afraid and uncertain as snowflakes began to form in the air.

"You are in Burgess." Zeref stated quietly, coming closer. The boy turned towards him, his eyes just as shocking as the transformation in his hair. The deep chocolate brown color they once held had vanished, now turning into an icy blue. "It is quite strange, I must admit. You had drowned in that lake, yet here you stand. Perhaps there is magic in this world, a power we do not understand. Regardless, consider yourself lucky to be alive, Jack."

The boy continued staring at him, his hand gripping the same branch he had used to save Emily before. "You…who are you? How do you know my name?" he asked.

Already bracing himself for the reaction, Zeref glanced away. "I am Zeref. Your sister told me about you….at least, a brief description to say the least."

Jack shook his head, glancing down the street. It was getting close to empty at this point, but a few people lingered. "That's…not possible. I don't have a sister…I don't have anyone…" he began, his chest rising and falling quickly. "The moon said…he said I was Jack Frost, but who am I really? Why am I here?"

A mother and her child walked nearby, while Zeref debated how to reply. He felt a slight chill in his body, frowning as his gaze turned towards the small family on the street. They had just walked through himself as well, and the realization left him feeling even more intrigued about this power. "Interesting…it appears as if you and I are alike, Jack Frost. To answer your question, we are all here to simply live the lives we are given, then return our energy to the world when we perish. Death finds us all, Jack, and that is why it is odd that you live on."

The boy frowned, shaking his head and gazing up at the moon. "No…there's more to it than that." he insisted. "Hey, Zeref?" Jack commented, glancing towards the other boy. "Don't go around dying on me. I don't know what I am…or why I can't be seen….but as long as you're out there, I know I have at least one person to talk to."

His black eyes gazed back towards Jack, endlessly dark and unreadable. "I cannot guarantee such a thing…however, I do not intend on recklessly throwing away my life. Though it will end some day, there is a value to living as well." he stated. There was still much he had to learn, after all. Whatever he and Jack had become, Zeref needed to determine just what caused all of this. The boy clearly did not remember much, but for some reason, Zeref did. Why were they different? Did Jack's death affect his mental state as well?

With no answers, Zeref simply watched as Jack nodded and flew off into the sky. A light trail of snowflakes followed behind him, landing on the ground before the brief snowfall halted. "A boy who can fly, who should have been dead. There is more to this world than I realized…and if he is different, then what powers have I gained?"

The moon shown down upon him, but no answers came. Smiling slightly, Zeref realized that perhaps this was a challenge of some form. He may not have anyone to turn to for help, but he did have this village to observe and learn from. Maybe his invisibility was intentional, so he could see how things changed in this place. Zeref let himself sit in the center of town, taking it upon himself to rest and search within his own body. The restless energy still remained, and while he could not quite access it, he knew this was his own power. It would be years before he left this town, but for now, he settled for observing its inhabitants, watching as the people he once knew grew older and enjoyed their lives.

* * *

The children in Burgess were always Zeref's largest form of entertainment. He had taken to reading when he wasn't watching others, but he always found time to observe the creative little kids finding ways to entertain themselves. There was Lisanna, a cute little girl who loved playing house with her friends. She often embarrassed her neighbor, Natsu, by insisting that they were going to be husband and wife.

Following after them today, Zeref could see Lisanna dragging a seven-year old boy with pink hair out into the forest. A small tent had been made out of sticks and leaves, barely standing on its own. The girl's bright blue eyes looked excited and eager as she walked inside, gesturing for Natsu to join her. "Natsu, look at this! We have our own kid now." she insisted.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref followed after them to see just what this 'child' was. Inside the tent, a furry blue cat lay sleeping. Lisanna pet its back, making the creature pur slightly and stretch out its legs. "What? That's awesome! Is it a dragon? It has to be, nothing else could possibly be that bright blue!" he insisted, lifting the cat above his head and spinning it around in excitement.

Giggling, Lisanna shook her head at him. "No, silly! He's our son, so he's a human, of course." she insisted. "Now, put him back down, Natsu. We can't scar our child by having his father drop him so early in his life."

Blinking, Natsu shrugged and let the cat sit back down on the ground. "Oh, right." he commented. Zeref was smiling as he observed them, continuing to play with the cat. "Hey, what is his name?" Natsu asked after a few moments.

The cat seemed to be trying to avoid Natsu at this point, hiding within Lisanna's lap. "You're the Dad, you've gotta help name him too." she complained, pouting slightly. "I found him and gave him a home, so you have to give him a name."

Natsu seemed to pause, while Zeref sighed and took a seat on the ground. Something about the way Natsu got when he was teased by Lisanna intrigued him. The girl had a crush on the boy, that much was clear, but Natsu was entirely oblivious to it. "I know, he's always smiling, right?" Natsu commented, leaning over the cat in Lisanna's lap. "So, I'll name him Happy!"

Laughter filled the tent as Lisanna agreed to the name. Pretending to be a family was what made her happy, though Zeref could see the look in her eyes when Natsu focused on Happy. There was a slight longing to her gaze, a loving smile that seemed sweet in a girl her age. Zeref wondered if her prediction was correct about their future. Even if the boy was ignorant now, one day, he would grow older and desire a family of his own.

There was a pause as Natsu walked out of the tent, finished playing with the poor stray cat they had found. He stood directly in front of Zeref, his black eyes gazing directly into Zeref's. At times like this, Zeref almost wondered if the child saw him. "Natsu…" he whispered quietly, reaching towards the boy.

The pinkette shrugged, walking forward again and passing through Zeref without another word. "Come on, Lisanna. We've gotta get back, or else your sister will get worried." he commented.

With a smile on her face, Lisanna joined Natsu, passing through Zeref just as he had done. That feeling of being nothing but air to them, Zeref couldn't quite describe it. Despite the fact that he had been alive for decades now, dealing with this strange power, he had yet to meet anyone that truly saw him there. He had not aged during that time, and while he enjoyed observing people, very few children even came close to seeing him. Natsu was the one he continually hoped to see him, yet every time the boy seemed close to doing so, it did not happen.

Following them back to town, Zeref watched as Lisanna waved goodbye to Natsu, joining her family inside her home. The boy continued on back to his own house, where he lived with his father. Maybe part of why he was so attached to Natsu was because of his family, Zeref mused. The girl from back then, Emily, had grown older and moved on as he suggested. Marrying a man by the name of Igneel, the two had been happy for a brief moment, until the childbirth proved to be too much for her body. Natsu was born, but Emily had died as a result.

Even so, Natsu adored his father. "Dad, I'm home!" Natsu called out, rushing inside with a grin.

"Natsu, welcome back. Did you have fun with your friends?" Igneel asked, smiling brightly. He was an older man, with hair just as pink as Natsu's. The young child seemed to take more after his father than his mother in appearance, though Zeref could see some of Emily in the plumpness of his cheeks and the shape of his nose.

Something warm grew within Zeref as the young boy smiled brightly. "Sure did, Lisanna's always fun to play with. We were out raising our son in the woods!" he insisted.

Chuckling, his own voice mixed with Igneel's amusement at his son's antics. "I do hope you took good care of him. Did you teach him to be strong?" Igneel questioned, playing along for the time being.

"Nah, he's too young for that." Natsu insisted, before smirking over at Igneel. "But I bet I can beat you now! I've gotten a lot stronger today, I wanna show you what I can do!"

The brawling was common with Natsu, a way for him to work out his energy. Zeref would see him usually picking fights with Gray, but on occasion, he would turn towards his father for help in learning to fight. Despite the fact that this area was more known for farming, Natsu held a strange dream of becoming a knight. Such occupations did not exist anymore, but his father did not seem to be the type to destroy his son's dreams, thus he often found Natsu battling with any other child he could find in town.

"Good luck, Natsu." Zeref commented quietly, watching as Igneel moved to satisfy his son's need to prove himself. "I will be back tomorrow, I promise. Keep growing stronger, and please…try to see me again."

The longing in his voice was not missed to himself. His isolation was proving to be a challenge, unlike any other he had expected to find. With no answers and no understanding of how he ended up like this, Zeref wished for someone to talk to, more than anything else. Maybe he should have spoken more with Jack all those years ago, but Jack didn't seem to understand things any more than he did. Waiting in this town was changing nothing, yet every time Zeref considered leaving, he found another reason to stay.

He walked out of Natsu's home, leaving the boy alone with his father for now. Watching that child was part of why he was attached, he realized. Zeref knew all of these people would be dead one day, the fate of all living things. He didn't want to miss a single moment of their lives, not when he could lose them at any moment. Natsu was especially important, the child that seemed to fight with a fire in his eyes and love in his heart. Something about that led Zeref to admire the child, wishing to see him as Natsu grew older and became a man.

Walking out of town, Zeref eventually found a familiar place to rest. He often came back to this pond, the place where it all began. This was where Jack had drowned, and where he first met Emily. That day, his life had changed forever. He became frozen in time, and now, he did not know where he was going or what he was doing. He did not fit in with the world anymore, but strangely, Zeref did not feel the need to join it either. All he wanted was a friend, or at least, an acquaintance to speak with in the depths of the night, when the moon rose and taunted him with the bright life contained within.

 **I know, this still isn't much...but at the same time, I really am clueless about where I want to take this, along with many other ideas. However...I'm trying to get back into writing original stories, rather than just fanfiction. So, while my inspiration is down, I figure I'll start posting my incomplete ideas so I can build up as much feedback as possible for a bit. Fair warning, if you read any of them, I don't have any conclusions planned, so they may or may not reach an actually end. I really like the concept behind this one, so I keep trying different things to continue it on...any feedback, guys? Do you have something in particular you want to see in this story? Credit will be given where due, so if your idea inspires me, expect a shout out as thanks! Otherwise, feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Years passed and winter came again to Burgess. With winter came a face Zeref had not seen in nearly forty years. Jack Frost was flying through the streets, grinning as he froze the paths people walked on. He watched as adults slipped on the ice, wincing slightly when they grew injured. Sometimes, Zeref saw Jack throw a snowball at a passing stranger, laughing when they searched for the culprit behind their now cold and wet back.

Ignoring the people he spent most of his time watching, Zeref approached Jack. "Welcome back, Jack Frost." Zeref stated quietly. The boy blinked at him for a moment, letting his staff swing over his shoulder with a childish grin. His clothes seemed to have changed as well, with a dark blue hoodie covering his chest.

"Zeref, it's been a while." Jack commented. "I didn't think you'd still be here. Then again, there isn't really anything else to be doing."

Nodding, Zeref couldn't help but agree with Jack's comment. "Indeed. I've been watching over them. Children never cease to amuse me, though I must admit, there is one older boy that still has my attention these days." he commented, glancing around the streets. Normally, Natsu was out helping his father in the fields these days. Winter left them with little work, and while Natsu had realized becoming a knight wasn't possible, he still found ways of fighting with others. Gray was still his rival, despite the fact that the two boys had little in common in terms of jobs.

"Really? Well, why don't you show him to me? We can have a little fun while I'm here." Jack commented, making another snowball and tossing it in his hands.

Zeref shook his head, ignoring the boy and moving on. "Perhaps, though you may begin something you'll regret, Jack." Zeref commented. "Natsu enjoys fighting, and he is quite protective of his friends. Should you throw a snowball at him, he will likely begin a brawl in the streets."

"Seriously?" Jack asked, looking doubtful. "A snowball isn't going to hurt anyone, Zeref. Lighten up and just learn to relax once in a while."

Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed. He had forgotten what Emily said about Jack and his playful nature. It appeared that much had remained, despite the boy's lack of memories. "My first conversation in decades…strangely, I was wishing for something different." Zeref mused quietly, after a few moments of silence. "I have seen the birth of new children in this village, and watched as others perished. We stand away from the flow of time, yet we are capable of observing its passing. Are you still managing to deal with this fact, Jack Frost?"

His serious tone finally seemed to make Jack's smile falter. "I, uh, I guess." he muttered. "I don't age, so what? I've got this amazing gift and I can have a lot of fun, right?"

There was a hesitation in his voice, something that hinted at the beginnings of a pain within his heart. "Indeed, you do have an amazing gift. I have yet to discover just what my power is, though." Zeref mused softly. "Your power seems to have become a part of you, in a way mine has not. Ice and snow obey your command, and winter follows your path. For me…sometimes, I wonder if it will be different. Will this power control me, or will I control it? It feels restless within me, the energy that has been building over the last few years. I know not what it does, nor do I understand how to unleash it."

"Huh?" Jack stated, sounding a bit lost. "Sorry, I'm not really good at the technical side of things…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "All I know is that my power just come to me naturally. So long as I have this—" he thrusted his staff towards Zeref, tilting his head slightly. "I can fly, control snow, create frost…essentially, do anything related to winter. It's pretty awesome, and I only have to want to see snow for it to start falling."

Zeref frowned, observing the staff-like branch with steady eyes. "I see…the staff channels your power. Perhaps there is some such object for myself…" he mused. After a few moments, he sighed and shook his head. "Regardless, that is likely not what you came here for. I assume you are still seeking answers, are you not?"

The winter spirit shoved one of his hands into his pocket, nodding as his smile vanished completely now. "Yeah, I am." he replied quietly. "I keep asking the moon for answers…but he never listens. You are the only person, the only one who ever sees me…why? Why was I born like this? Always trying to have fun, wanting to play games with kids…yet, incapable of even speaking to one of them."

The desperation in his voice made Zeref's black gaze grow distant. He rarely felt desperate for much of anything, but he did know what the feeling was like. "You were not born like this, Jack. That much I know for a fact, though I do not know if your memories can be retrieved or not." Zeref stated quietly.

Finally, he found the boy he was looking for. Natsu was walking down the street, with Gray and Erza by his sides. The three of them often spent time together lately, now that Lisanna was gone. The accident had broken Zeref's heart. He had been there, in the forest when her sister and brother tried to play a game of hide and seek. Mira had been just fine with the game, finding Lisanna almost immediately. Their fun had been interrupted however, when Elfman shouted through the forest in fear. He had attempted to hide within one of the trees, but the branch he had clung to was too weak.

Wishing to save him, Lisanna had moved to catch him as the branch snapped and fell. While the boy likely would have survived either way, Lisanna ended up being crushed by her brother and the branch, pinned to the ground. A snapping sound had been brought to Zeref's ears, along with the pained cry of the young girl. Tears had filled her eyes, and before she lost consciousness, she tried to tell her brother not to be sad over her death. For a brief moment, her gaze had turned towards Zeref, a gasp taking control of her as she reached towards him. He thought she had seen him at that moment, but he couldn't be certain.

Only days later, the girl perished from her broken bones, an injury that could not heal properly with the medicine available to them. Natsu had been devastated, but the girl's family had it the worst. The entire time, Zeref was left wondering if she truly had seen him for that moment, while on the brink of death.

Shaking his head free of memories, Zeref focused back on the people walking through the street. Jack had been saying something to him, but he had gotten too distracted to answer. "There he is. That is Natsu, and his friends." Zeref stated calmly.

Turning towards them, Jack frowned. "Really? The kid with the pink hair?" Jack commented, slowly grinning at the sight. "That's something new, though I suppose it makes him more interesting, right?"

Nodding, Zeref felt a small smile form on his face. Gray and Natsu had started to argue over something, but a single glare from Erza halted any fight from starting. When the red head moved into town, she had immediately begun calming most of Natsu's fights. She disliked seeing fighting amongst friends, and while she did not fight often, the few times she did proved that she was stronger than anyone else in town when it came to battle.

"Hey, Zeref. About what I asked earlier…you didn't seem to give me an answer." Jack commented, glancing over at the boy. "You claimed you knew me before…all of this. I don't care if you can't tell me everything, but please, who was I? If I know where I came from…I think I might be able to figure out why I am like this."

Gazing around this town where he had been silent for so long, Zeref began to feel something new. Jack was speaking with him, and so long as he was here, his loneliness was lessened ever so slightly. "I…yes, perhaps it can. Would you have any objection to staying here for a while? With how much time I have on my hands, I would be more than willing to look into methods of retrieving your memories."

The kid looked excited, grinning wildly as he jumped into the air and landed on his staff. He seemed to be defying the usual laws of physics, standing on the object as if nothing odd was happening. "Awesome! We're finally getting somewhere. Thanks for the help, Zeref. Seriously, I owe you one for this. Tell you what, while you work out my memory mess, I'll try and teach you how your magic works? It might be fun, teaching someone how to do something." he mused.

It was the best opportunity Zeref had to understand his power. This boy was a natural at using his own gifts, unlike Zeref. Leaving his arms hanging by his sides, Zeref gazed upward at the sky. "Very well, I suppose it couldn't hurt." he agreed. "As for your past…I did not know you personally, but I did meet your sister, briefly. I was in the forest, watching your games before you drowned in the frozen lake. Emily, your sister, wished for me to save you, however, you had sacrificed your life for her own and nothing could be done to alter that fate."

Jack jumped down from his perch, listening intently as he leaned his cheek against his staff. "Really? What was she like? I mean, if I had a sister, did that mean I had more family?" he questioned.

Nodding, Zeref glanced towards Natsu once more. "Indeed, though the ones you would have known are gone now. As always, death laid claim to their lives, and new generations live on. Natsu is Emily's son, and your nephew I suppose. Even so, he does not see either of us, so even our relatives do not gain such a power." he mused quietly.

True enough, Natsu walked through the two of them as if they weren't even there. Zeref did not react to the action, having gotten used to the feeling, but Jack shuddered slightly and touched his chest from the feeling. "That kid? Well…I guess I can kind of see it. I mean, I'm all about snowball fights, and he's…interested in actual fights, I guess."

"Personalities aren't necessarily inherited, Jack. There is no medical research to prove such things." Zeref insisted, but the white haired boy brushed it off.

"Tell me more. Natsu's a part of my family, but is there anyone else around? Emily may be gone…hey, I just thought of something. How did she die? She wouldn't have been that old now…would she?" Jack questioned, frowning slightly.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Zeref's gaze turned distant. "Childbirth proved to be too much for her body. Weakness overcame her and once Natsu was born, she perished. Still, I was glad to see that she had moved on with her life. She was quite upset over your death." he insisted.

Jack nodded, frowning as he turned around to watch Natsu. "Oh…so he really is all that is left of my family." he stated quietly. "I know…I know I should be sad, but I just…I don't even know who she was. Zeref, is there something wrong with me, for not crying over my entire family's death?"

Glancing down at his own hands, Zeref went still. He had hardly cried himself, back then. One day, that was all he allowed himself for mourning. From that point on, he was haunted by guilt. He had tried to find out everything he could on the man he had murdered, to inform his family about his death and apologize for his own actions. Zeref did not ever succeed in finding them, but he had tried for years.

Closing his hands into small fists, Zeref lifted his gaze towards Jack. "My family is gone, too." he stated softly. "They were gone before I became like this, yet even with my memories, I feel no need to mourn them further. Perhaps when I was younger, I did indeed wish they were alive, however, I understood what their deaths meant. All living things find an end…I keep repeating this until I myself grow to believe it, and accept what I've done."

There was an odd look in Jack's eyes, a glint before he shook his head and began to smirk. He created another snowball, tossing it into the air for a moment before catching it and focusing on Zeref. "Well, I guess we're both messed up then, aren't we?" Jack stated, while Zeref began to frown. "Now, let's take a bit of a break from all this depressing talk about death…I'm in the mood for some fun, instead."

Wet snow collided with Zeref's face, making him flinch and close his eyes. Wiping away the moisture, he scowled and turned back at Jack who now hovered in the air. More snowballs formed in his grip, a smirk as he launched more snow towards Zeref. This time, Zeref dodged to the side. He disliked getting cold still, despite the fact that it did not harm him.

"Come on, you've gotta fight back, Zeref." Jack complained, waving his staff across the ground. More snow piled up into balls at Zeref's feet, ready to attack. "Here, I'll even give you some ammo."

Staring down at them, Zeref sighed and shook his head. He pulled one of the balls into his hand, turning it around slightly and inspecting it. During that time, Jack threw another snowball at the back of his head, leaving snow clinging to his dark black hair. Blue sparks seemed to dance along his face, his eyes widening as something warm filled him. Perhaps this game could be fun, Zeref decided. With that, he smiled fully, turning back towards the winter spirit.

Raising the snowball, Zeref threw it towards Jack. The white haired boy laughed as he went higher into he air to avoid the throw. Leaning down, Zeref chose another weapon to throw, now getting far more invested in the game. "That is odd." he heard someone comment, but Zeref didn't care. People would be fine observing flying snow coming from no where, it was there own fault for refusing to see either of them.

"Hey, invisible force, knock it off!" Natsu shouted, this time finally stopping Zeref. He turned, letting Jack's last snowball his his arm as he stood straight. "Damn it, I can never seem to figure out what's there."

The boy scratched the back of his head, glancing over towards his friends. "You idiot, there's no such thing as an invisible force." Gray commented.

Natsu glared in return, his forehead pressing against Gray's as their argument began. "Oh yeah? Then how the hell did the snow do that, stripper?"

"I don't know, maybe the wind blew it around!"

"Ha, like the wind makes perfectly round balls of snow. And you call me an idiot, you're the dumb one, ice princess." Natsu countered.

Jack moved to stand by Zeref's side, watching as Erza approached the two with a harsh glare on her face. "Enough!" she shouted, pulling the two apart with a glare on her face. "It is merely snow, it is not our concern. We must be off, there is work to be done."

With that, the two boys agreed immediately and began following after the scarlet haired woman. Natsu paused for a moment, however, glancing back at the space where Jack and Zeref still stood. "Please, Natsu…" Zeref pleaded with the boy, but nothing came of it. The pinkette turned around, jogging slightly to catch up with his friends. Turning down another street, they vanished from his sight, leaving him standing with Jack, alone in the street.

 **It's been a while since I've updated this one. For anyone wondering, I have created a poll on my profile for all of you to vote on your favorites of my incomplete stories. It will help me decide which one to put my focus on at the moment, since I am still struggling with completing them. Reviews and feedback will also help decide where my motivation goes, so please let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of ROTG or Fairy Tail

Jack's idea of magic training wasn't all that different from his idea of having fun. The winter spirit was with Zeref at the very end of the night. Everyone in town was asleep, making this the perfect time to at least attempt to learn something. However, there was an issue with Jack's teaching methods.

"Alright, so, you don't like getting hit by snowballs, right?" Jack questioned, making Zeref scowl. He didn't know what had made him get so invested in that snowball fight earlier, but now, he was back to normal and held an even stronger dislike for games involving snow and ice.

The winter spirit took Zeref's scowl as an answer. "So, I'm going to make you want to stop my attacks. After all, that's how my magic works, so it'd make sense that you'd eventually block one of them, right?"

Thusly, Zeref found himself getting continuously pelted with snowballs, waiting for some magical solution to stop them. The restless energy in his body did not seem to be reacting in any form. While his irritation did grow, his power did not. Jack would reprimand him when he attempted to dodge through normal means, and as a result, Zeref ended up soaking wet before the winter spirit gave up on this method of training.

Frowning, Jack inspected Zeref a bit closer. "Alright, I'll admit it…that wasn't the best of plans," he stated.

"I am beginning to regret agreeing to this, Frost," Zeref stated icily. "If you cannot do this right, I shall—" he began, but his voice was cut off by a strange sight coming closer to them.

A man was walking through the streets, with the strangest appearance Zeref had seen. Gray skin covered his body, almost sickly in appearance. Spiky black hair sat atop of his head, where golden eyes burned outward into the night. His dark black robes covered him entirely, and he seemed to be smiling as he glanced upward. In the sky, Zeref noted, was the familiar sight of golden sand. He had debated following the sand to its source at one point, but determined that it would be a waste of his energy, without an efficient method of traveling.

The strange man seemed pleased to see the sand, reading into the sky and pulling a handful of it down into his own grasp. "Ah, Sandman, always so helpfully on time." the man mused with a grin. The sand seemed to morph within his hands, changing color and turning almost as black as his robes. "Now, time to get to work. Let's just see if these children can help me produce what I need."

"Who is that?" Jack questioned, turning towards Zeref. "I mean, I love the dream sand too, but I've never seen an adult notice its presence."

Moving after the man, Zeref kept his black eyes focused on the stranger. "Based on what I've gathered, you are correct. That man, whoever he is, is someone like us." Zeref determined. There was no other possibility, considering the man's actions. The alteration of the sand from one form to another was interesting, but Zeref had a feeling that he could do so much more.

The winter spirit followed just behind Zeref, trailing after the man as he stopped at one of the homes in town. Inside, was a rather small family. Grandeeney lived alone, ever since her husband left town in search of more wealth than Burgess could offer. Her only daughter, Wendy, was merely eleven years old. Sleeping in her bed, the girl was unaware of the creepy man staring over at her.

Entering the home, Zeref stood behind the man and watched. "Another sweet child, so innocent and filled with hope and wonder…there's one thing missing, however. In fact, it's missing within every single living being in this town, from what I've seen. That's all going to change, though, that I promise you," the man insisted, the dark sand dancing around in his palms. Zeref watched him hold it out over Wendy, sprinkling it like dust over the child's face.

Wendy wrinkled her nose, grimacing in her sleep as she rolled over and mumbled to herself. The golden sand dancing above her head seemed to grow darker, tinged slightly towards the darkness the other man had wielded. It lasted only for a moment, though, before returning to the image of a flying cat soaring through the sky.

"Damn you! Another failure, why do you always refuse to accept your fears?" the stranger shouted, kneeling down before the child. He moved to grip her shoulders, but Zeref watched as his hands slipped through her body. The man's scowl deepened, before turned around as if to leave, spotting both Jack and Zeref standing at the doorway of the room.

Jack jumped slightly, before giving the man an awkward grin and spinning his staff around. "Oh, hey there. Didn't want to interrupt your…whatever that was. Honestly, I didn't think there'd be another guy like us around, though."

His light hearted tone told Zeref that Jack didn't quite grasp what the man was doing. From what he had observed, the golden sand helped children sleep peacefully. The darkness this man put into it had appeared to have a negative affect on Wendy, even if it was only briefly. As a result, Zeref remained tense, warily eyeing the man who smiled brightly at the two of them.

"Like me? Oh, I doubt that," the man mused, inspecting Jack closely. His golden gaze scanned over the boy's body, leaving Jack leaning back as the other man came closer to get a better look. "Indeed, not an ounce of fear in your expression, and you are clearly hopeless in bringing such a feeling to others."

When the man stepped away, Jack stood straighter and frowned at the man. "Is that a bad thing? Sure, I'm not terrifying monster, but from what I can see, you aren't exactly terrifying to see either. Just relax with us, I've got a ton of questions to ask. I mean, do you know what is going on with any of us?" he began.

Zeref remained silent, seeing the man's golden eyes burning into his own now. There was still a strange smile on the man's face, white teeth somehow making his features even darker than before. "You, however, seem to be different," he mused quietly. Zeref's back remained stiff, watching as the man seemed to vanish before their eyes. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, a presence appearing behind him and whispering in his ear. "There is a darkness in you, a fear that is so much lovelier than your friend's. Tell me, who are you?"

Glancing at the ground, Zeref simply frowned before replying quietly, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "Zeref." Jack looked surprised, rolling his eyes at the expression on Zeref's face.

"Calm down, Zeref, he's harmless. Sure, he's got a creepy robe, but it's not like he's evil or anything," the winter spirit insisted.

Something told Zeref that Jack was wrong about this man, though he did not know what. He felt the man shove him forward, however, interrupting his musings on why he felt such a strange desire to get away from him. "Foolish boy, that is not what I meant!" he shouted, his smile now gone with his gaze narrowed. "Here, allow me to demonstrate. My name is Pitch Black, and I am the Boogeyman. Now, what is your name, gifted to you by your _precious_ Man in the Moon?"

There was a sneer in his voice when he spoke of Manny, one that Zeref did not let slip past him. Some old hatred remained in Pitch for the moon, but his words left a chill within Zeref that he could not describe. That whisper he heard that night, there was power in that name. He did not want to reveal it to others, but perhaps it was why he could not determine what had happened to him. "I…I do not hold anyone in that regard, but I suppose I do know of the name you are looking for. In that case, I am Grim Reaper."

The yellow eyed man stood taller, clasping his hands together behind his back. Pitch came closer to Zeref once more, tilting his head slightly. "Grim, you say? Well, what an interesting name. I can't say I've heard of you, either. Are you a new spirit by chance? Someone who has not yet even heard of my name?" the man questioned.

Gazing calmly back at Pitch, Zeref remained still. "I suppose that depends on your definition of 'new'. My age is older than I appear, however, I assume that is the case with all of us…spirits." The word was unfamiliar to Zeref, but somehow fitting considering their invisibility. "Regardless, I have my own questions for you. This sand, I've seen it before. It represents the dreams of children, yes?"

Chuckling, Pitch nodded and leaned back, giving Zeref some space. "Indeed, did you see what I was doing with it? Dream sand is a marvelous creation. At least, it could be if the Sandman knew how to use it properly. That is why I am here, to see just how useful this tool can really be."

Frowning, Zeref stepped closer to Wendy. She was still sleeping peacefully, unaware of the three people gathered in her room. Jack watched quietly, shaking his head and tapping his staff against the floor. Frost seemed to spread at his feet, boredom showing on his face. "Look…I get that you two are having a conversation and all, but seriously? Why are you so interested in sand? It's not a big deal, Pitch can play around with it if he wants. We've got more training to do, you still haven't—"

Zeref turned his head back sharply, glaring at Jack. "Enough, Jack," he ordered. The winter spirit blinked in surprise, not expecting the sharpness to Zeref's tone. "The sand…he was changing it, making it darker. Based on his previous comments…I'd say he was adding fear into Wendy's dreams," Zeref stated calmly. "In what way does that aid the world? Fearing things does not mean they will not occur. It only adds in hesitation and a reluctance to fight for oneself."

There was a chuckle echoing from the shadows as Pitch vanished from sight once more. He reappeared on the opposite side of Wendy's bed, smiling gleefully down at the child. "You sound so much like them, like those precious Guardians of Childhood," he stated, before his smile turned into a dark scowl. Glaring at Zeref, Pitch continued on. "I despise them, you know. Always gaining so many believers, with their hope and wonder…it makes me sick, seeing how they revel in being known throughout the world while I…I am stuck in the shadows, never seen, never believed in. People go on, telling their children 'oh, there's nothing to be afraid of, there's no such thing as the _boogeyman'"_

A coldness filled Zeref, as he realized what this man was saying. There were others out there, people like them that knew how to be seen. Jack's blue eyes widened, apparently catching this fact as well. "Wait…are you saying…that we don't have to be invisible? There's a way to make…to get people to…see us?" he demanded, breathing heavily.

Unlike his companion, Zeref remained calm about the realization. It wasn't as if he needed to be seen all of these years. In a way, it had been a relief. No one looked at him with hatred or fear, and no one ignored him solely because of what he had done. Now, if he was not seen, there was a reason behind it. His isolation made sense, and while he may wish to talk to someone, he did not need it to keep going on.

Pitch's eyes burned in the dark room, lifting his gaze towards Jack. "Oh yes, that there is. Then again, I'm not all that interested in _you._ Your fears bore me, to be honest. Just like everyone else, the poor little, well, whatever your name is, afraid of being alone," he mused, shaking his head.

Jack glared at him, his grip tightening on his staff. "The name's Jack, Jack Frost, and I'm not afraid," he insisted.

Laughter seemed to echo around the room, Pitch's voice being thrown around the place they stood. "Ah, such denial. Very well, I'll let that remain for now. After all, we have so much time to grow that fear, to enhance it within you," Pitch stated gleefully. "Your friend however…Grim's fear is quite unusual, unique in a way. I can't say I've met another spirit who is so afraid…"

There was a slight pause, one which Zeref could tell was being used for dramatic affect. Whoever this man was, he knew how to create fear. Zeref could tell, from the way he spoke to the way he carried himself. Pitch was used to slipping in and out of darkness, jumping out and startling anyone who walked passed him. "My fears are my own. I've grown past them, and learned to continue—"

"Oh, have you?" Pitch interrupted, much like Zeref had just done. "You fear something no one should ever come to be afraid of, my boy. Your greatest fear…is of yourself. Tell me, why is that? Just what makes you afraid of the power within you?" The man walked around Zeref, circling the boy as he remained still. "Perhaps it isn't your power that you fear…no, I think it is your own personality. What makes you different, your own ability to so coldly calculate your actions…I see it in your eyes, the way you analyze everything before even speaking a word, young spirit."

With hands shaking slightly, Zeref closed his eyes. He needed to control himself, to remember that what happened in the past would never happen again. "Leave us be, and we shall do the same for you, Pitch Black. I was intrigued with your power, I admit, but now I see there is no use in discussing things with you. Give these children fear if you wish, for I will still be here to show them how to accept those fears."

Despite his words, Zeref could feel something shaken within him. Jack stepped closer, touching Zeref's shoulder gently and pulling him back. "Hey, are you okay? You seem kind of…well, you almost look as pale as me, and that's saying something," he commented.

"He is just fine, Frost," Pitch insisted, taking a step backwards. Within the shadows, he vanished from sight, his silhouette dancing along the walls. "It is simply the look of a man who accepts their fears, and has fallen into despair. It won't be long before you realize, Grim Reaper, that fearing yourself leads to a far worse outcome than accepting who you are. I wish you luck in your endeavors. Do try and figure out how to be seen. It will be interesting to see what you have in mind to gain such a thing."

Even the man's shadow vanished from sight after his words. Zeref stood still, watching Wendy in the dark room as Jack seemed to shrug. "Hey, don't let him get to you. I've got a blizzard with your name on it, Zeref, we can go outside and have some—" Jack began, tugging on Zeref's arm. The black haired boy refused to move, his gaze distant as he focused on the window of the room. The moon shown brightly outside, but Zeref did not feel any comfort. Instead, he remained focused on Pitch's words, wondering if perhaps the man was correct. If he continued to fear himself, he would destroy himself and likely take the world down with him, if his magic was anything like what he'd witnessed in others.

 **So, I've still be incredibly busy...and have not updated this in months. Sorry for the delay, once again. I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Burgess was filled with excitement the next week. Despite Pitch's interferences with the children's dreams, nothing seemed to have been altered in their daily activities. A few of them were a bit more tired than usual, but Zeref was not concerned for the time being. Instead, he was focused on watching Natsu, and the way he seemed to be getting dragged into the crowd of people gathering around the newcomer to town.

A young woman was moving here with her family. From what Zeref had heard, they were a very wealthy family, owners of a big business located in a larger city in the east. While the girl's father was no where to be seen, the girl was looking a bit uncomfortable with all the attention she was getting. "Look, I'm not really that important…you guys don't have to get this excited over me…" the girl was saying, waving her hands in front of her as she backed away.

Zeref's favorite resident frowned at her, walking closer with his arms crossed over his chest. "Well, you guys heard her." he insisted, turning around and facing the others. Lucy seemed to blink in surprise, not expecting Natsu's reaction. He gave the crowd a smirk, pressing his fist into the palm of his hand. "I'd suggest backing off, because I've decided Lucy's my new friend."

"How did you decide that so quickly? I don't even know you, you idiot!" Lucy shouted, her jaw dropping.

Amused, Zeref chuckled slightly. "That's Natsu for you, Lucy. He never was one to listen to reason." he mused quietly.

Unheard by the others, the crowd dispersed and left Natsu alone with the girl. "Oh, right. I'm Natsu, it's nice to meet you." he stated with a grin, holding his hand out for her to shake.

Glaring at him this time, Lucy smacked his head harshly. "That's not what I meant! We're not friends, and I'm not going to just start hanging out with you because you claim we are."

Rubbing his head, Natsu huffed and glared back at her. "Hey, that wasn't nice! Come on, I was only trying to help, Lucy. Besides, I have amazing plans for today. We're going to go out eating food from all of the shops in town! The new deliveries came in today, so the food should be fresh." he insisted.

Sighing, Lucy shook her head at the boy. "Really? Is that all you can think about?" she demanded, before slowly smiling and laughing at him. "Alright, fine. I'll give it a shot. My name's Lucy, by the way."

Zeref watched them walk off, quickly moving forward with the day. He followed after them, uncertain of what else to do. Jack was busy playing around with his magic today, and Pitch had not been seen since the night at Wendy's house. That left Zeref feeling quite alone once more, but this time, he did not shy away from the isolation. Pitch's words still haunted him, leaving him wondering just what would happen if he grew too close to anyone. Was he a monster? Would he become someone who killed heartlessly and without remorse? Zeref didn't have an answer, and until he did, he was better off alone.

Following Natsu wasn't even making him feel better today, Zeref noted. Hanging out with Lucy was interesting to watch, but the boy didn't have any of his usual antics that amused Zeref so much. He enjoyed watching Natsu nearly pick fights with Gray, and observing the way he reacted to Erza attempting to stop them. Even when Natsu fought back against Erza, it was interesting to see how he attempted to counter the girl's unbreakable defense.

With Lucy, Natsu was more reserved in a way. They had stopped on the street for a moment, while Lucy snacked on an apple they had purchased at a local fruit stand. "So, what brings you to Burgess? There isn't a whole lot around here, to be honest." Natsu asked, glancing towards the girl.

Lucy gazed down at her apple, frowning slightly. "My…my mother passed away." she said quietly. "Dad says it is better for us to get away for a while, so we aren't surrounded by so many memories of her. He took me away from everything, from my friends, my school…now, I've got to start all over here."

That sadness, it was something Zeref understood. "You are alone, just like me." he stated quietly. "Lucy, do not give up. Despair may exist in your heart, but it can…you can learn to accept it."

It was a foolish idea, and even Zeref knew it. He had lived with pain for so long, with the memory of watching his parents die. He had the guilt of killing another man forced into his soul at the same time, leaving him broken and shattered for the majority of his life. Even now, he could not move past it enough to ignore the ache in his chest. "Man, that sucks. Igneel never did that to me…though I never really knew my Mom. He says she was nice, though," Natsu commented.

Shrugging, Lucy tried to smile as she gazed back at him. "Really? That's sad…even if she's gone, I don't think I'd ever want to have grown up without her. My father…he's so strict, I can't do anything without his permission really," she admitted. "Growing up without Mom would be the worst, I can't imagine what your life was like without someone like that."

There wasn't much regret in Natsu's gaze. He took a step to keep walking down the street, and Lucy followed behind him. "Igneel was great, he taught me everything I need to know! I can fight, read, talk…all of it, thanks to him," Natsu said, grinning over towards her for a moment. "Besides, as awful as it is, you now have the chance to make new friends, right? I mean, you had fun today, didn't you?"

The question seemed to make the girl pause, her brown eyes wide as she stared at Natsu. After a moment of hesitation, Lucy smiled and nodded, her arms folding behind her back. "Mhmm! Now, what about you? What do you do in this town?"

"Oh, I help my Dad out on our farm. It isn't all that fun, but it keeps me busy, I guess," Natsu commented. "When I was a kid, I thought I'd be a knight, if you can believe that. I always loved picking fights and proving how strong I was."

Laughing, Lucy shook her head. "Why does that not surprise me?"

Zeref moved closer, glaring over at them. "Natsu is not that difficult to figure out, Lucy. He may not be the most passive of people, but he has a kind heart and is quite humorous at times."

Neither of them heard, once again leaving Zeref frowning at them. He had taken to speaking more to the townspeople lately, trying to see if anyone could hear him. Natsu was the only one that seemed to have come close in the past, but there was still no success.

Following them further down the street, Zeref began to lose track of their conversation. The girl was irritating him for some reason, though he could not say why. The way she walked close to Natsu's side, and the way he smiled back at her…it bothered him. Zeref wanted to be able to be Natsu's friend, just as this girl was doing. Perhaps he did not want to be alone, but he did not know how to be seen by normal people.

When Lucy returned home, Zeref continued following after Natsu. The boy seemed to be in a good mood, smiling brightly as he walked back home. Night had fallen, and Zeref was still confused as to why he disliked the new girl so much. Perhaps he would never know, but it irked him to dislike the girl for no reason. "Man, that girl sure is weird. She punched me just for wanting to be her friend," Natsu commented to himself, shaking his head.

For a moment, Zeref questioned if the boy had spoken to him. There was no one else around to hear, and the thought made him freeze, his black eyes wide. Then, the boy sighed and shook his head, moving on. "Well, I suppose she's nice too. Kind of like Lisanna…" he trailed off, swallowing harshly.

Walking closer to him, Zeref reached towards Natsu. He wished to comfort the boy with the girl's death, but his hand simply passed through Natsu's shoulder, just as it did with all other people. "Natsu…I wish she were here for you, in some form," he whispered to the boy.

"Man, look at me, talking to myself like an idiot. Gray would never let me hear the end of it, if he found out," Natsu mused, rubbing the back of his head. "Still, I just can't stand it being so quiet out here! Come on, someone at least make some noise!" Natsu's shouts echoed into the sky, leaving Zeref smiling at the boy's strange desire.

Standing by his side, Zeref hesitantly glanced upward with him. "I am not loud, but I will make noise of some form. If you try, I know you will grow to be capable of hearing me one day."

There was no response. Natsu huffed, his breath leaving a puff in the air as he moved to continue on. "Damn it, why do I always feel like this? It's almost as if someone is watching me…I can sense it, but no one is ever there," Natsu complained, growling under his breath.

Reaching towards Natsu, Zeref desperately tried to get him to look towards him. "I'm here…please, Natsu, just look a little closer."

Desperation seemed to stir the restless energy within him. Zeref felt it, pausing and dragging his hand back. Glancing down at his feet, Zeref's black eyes widened at the sight of something swirling and dark growing around him. Black smoke seemed to fan out by his feet, slowly rising into the air as his head began to pound, the energy begging for release. Clutching his head, Zeref tried to keep it contained. Wisps of black magic still released from his body, making Nattsu turn towards him with a frown.

"What the hell? Now you're just making me mad! If you're gonna follow me, at least show your face you bastard!" Natsu complained, before his eyes widened and he took a step back. Following the boy's gaze, Zeref turned towards the tree that had been standing in the yard they were passing. His black smoke had enveloped it already, and as his magic touched the trunk, it seemed to wilt away into nothingness. "Wait…is this some kind of joke? Are you telling me Death has been following me all of this time?"

Turning his gaze upward, Zeref panicked even further. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he shook his head. "No…please, I don't want to kill anyone! Natsu, just…" he pleaded.

More black smoke seemed to emerge, his fear making it stronger. Seeing that, Zeref stumbled back, trying to keep the magic away from the boy. He turned and began running, leaving a trail of death in his wake. Natsu stared after him, his eyes wide as he gasped at the sight of the boy running away. Zeref did not turn to see the stunned look in his eyes, nor did he care to find out how Natsu reacted. His only goal was safety, and finding a way to keep this magic under control.

 **Good news! I've finally finished a rough draft of this story, and I'm on break so I have more time for updates! This chapter was a little shorter, but I do hope you enjoyed Zeref's first time unleashing his magic. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Going to the pond was Zeref's escape. He did not care if the forest died around him, at least, not as much as he cared if Burgess perished. Rushing through the trees, Zeref felt branches scrape at his cheek. Small cuts formed on his skin, making blood drip down into the snow on the ground in his escape. The red drops left a small trail, that slowly began to vanish from sight. Touching the injury, Zeref discovered that it had already healed, despite being fresh.

Shuddering, Zeref picked up his pace. He heard the crunch of snow beneath his boots, the only sound other than his breathing in the forest around him. Not even a breeze was present to rustle the trees, and the town was asleep. Another wisp of black magic seemed to lash out from his body, destroying another patch of life in the forest. "No…please, stop this!" Zeref begged, stopping for a moment. His magic built up even further within him, pushing outward. It felt like something clawing at his skin from the inside, stretching to simply get out.

Clutching his arms tightly, Zeref closed his eyes and leaned forward. He couldn't hold it off for long, that much he was certain of. His black eyes flashed open as it finally broke out. Darkness spiraled beyond his body, swarming everything in a massive haze. The grass underneath the snow wilted and died, despite the protective layer of frozen water built up on top of it. Trees wilted and decayed into dirt on the ground, falling onto the snow like ash. Zeref cried out in agony, as if he could feel the pain of the trees as they died.

With tears still on his cheeks, Zeref slowly began to collapse to his knees. Indents were left in the snow, his palms pressing into the surface of the ground. After all of these years, he was still destined to be a murderer. This power he was granted. All it did was destroy the world around him. "Why? Why me?" he wondered quietly, his hands tightening into fists. He felt them burn as snow pressed into his palms, clumping together into a small lump. "I don't want to be a monster…please, take it back. I care not if I die as a result, I do not wish to have this power."

His gaze lifted towards the sky, seeing the moon hanging brightly above him. It wasn't full tonight, but the waning moon did give him something to plead with. No answers were coming, and the light didn't shine down enough to make Zeref think the moon had heard him.

Instead of moonlight shining through the sky, however, a different sight became visible to Zeref. Golden lines of sand danced through the sky, traveling towards Burgess. Above them seemed to be a massive cloud made of such sand, with trails falling down from it towards Earth. More shot out from above the cloud, streams rushing through the air and towards children in various towns. "You…Sandman, that's what he called you." Zeref whispered quietly.

The spirit seemed to hear him, leaning forward over the edge of his cloud. A smile appeared on a strangely golden man's face. He waved towards Zeref and his cloud slowly descended onto the ground. The Sandman's gaze flickered around the area, frowning as he came closer. Seeing the black spots smeared on the snow, Sandy pointed and created a tree followed by a question mark above his head.

Following his gaze, Zeref took a deep breath and shook his head. "The…the trees are no more. I've forced the end of their cycles, and now, this place is filled with nothing but death. It was not my intention to do so…nor did I wish to steal away their lives." His gaze turned back towards Sandy, seeing someone who may be able to do something. "Please, you must help. How do I get rid of this curse?"

There was a sad look in Sandy's eyes. The man stepped forward, touching Zeref's shoulders as he shook his head. He pointed up towards the moon with his hand, before pressing his other palm to Zeref's chest. The image of a present appeared above his head, smiling and nodding with encouragement towards Zeref.

Shaking his head, Zeref rose to his feet and shoved the man away. Sandy stumbled back, scowling in irritation as Zeref glared at the spirit. "No, this is not a gift." Glancing down at his hands, Zeref lifted them slightly and spread open his palms. The lines on them seemed normal, and the color was pale. Even so, Zeref felt that it was wrong somehow, having hands that killed without thought that blended in with everyone else's. "Perhaps all things come to an end, but I do not wish to be the one ending their lives. Taking away any form of life, something that is a true gift, can in no way be called a gift as well."

The man seemed to pause, inspecting Zeref for a moment. Sandy tapped his foot against the snow, crossing his arms over his chest before smiling and looking eager. He grabbed Zeref's arm, surprising the boy as he was pulled forward. Gesturing upward, Zeref's gaze followed the Sandman's outstretched hand and stared into the sky. Just above them, streams of golden sand still glowed in the night sky. Sandy pushed Zeref's arm upward, making his hand dip into the sand gently.

He watched as forms began to grow from the sand. Images of small little creatures formed, flying around in the sky almost like fairies. They danced on top of the stream, before fluttering down towards the forest below. Zeref took a small step back as they approached him. Before long, the three creatures began flying in circles around his feet, moving upward with golden sand trailing behind their bodies. As they finished their spiral, they moved higher into the sky and took off towards Burgess, leaving Zeref staring after them.

Giving Zeref a thumbs up, Sandy looked like he thought the boy could see something in that dream now. "I don't understand. What difference does a simple dream make? They are easily corrupted and turned into darkness…and much like living creatures, they fade away and die as time proves dreams unattainable," Zeref stated darkly. "Perhaps that is your message. Is my dream of freedom unattainable? Am I truly trapped with this curse?"

Sand seemed to spill from the man's hair as Sandy shook his head. His smile faded, frowning once more as he gazed at Zeref. Reaching out, Sandy grabbed Zeref's hand and began to pull him along through the forest. Their footprints left trails in the snow, but Zeref already could see where they were going. He felt fear return within him, making his power restless and eager to escape once more. Tugging his arm against Sandy's grip, Zeref made the man pause and turn towards him.

"I can't…please, I can't control this…" Zeref begged. The outskirts of Burgess were just barely visible. Golden sand streamed through the streets, entering buildings at some points. Sandy didn't seem to pull him any closer, but he did nod and point towards the town. "What am I supposed to be seeing? Are you simply showing me that dreams exist? It makes no sense…"

The man looked slightly irritated, shaking his head. Holding out his hand, Sandy created a swirling pile of golden dust in the air. The specks of sand seemed to swirl around and grow, as the man increased the magic within. Even so, the larger the orb of sand became, the more motion Zeref saw within. It was almost like a massive beehive, with each piece of sand buzzing around within the swarm. Still, it never once left Sandy's palm, and before long, the man closed his hand and it vanished within an instant.

"Control…you are saying it is possible to gain control of this curse," Zeref stated, his eyes wide. Nodding eagerly, Sandy sat down and gazed back at the town. He glanced over at Zeref, patting the ground next to him. "I do not see how. Your power is a gift, unlike mine. It is filled with light and brings about joy in some form. What joy is there in death?"

Sandy patted Zeref's hand, once again pointing towards his chest. Unsure of what it meant, Zeref remained silent as Sandy pointed to his own chest, then gestured towards the sand. When Zeref continued to frown, Sandy seemed to focus for a moment, unsure of what else to do. He twiddled his thumbs slightly, before shrugging and sighing silently into the night.

Gazing back at the sand, Zeref tried to determine just what the man had been trying to say. Something within him matched something within Sandy, that much seemed to make sense. The flowing lines of sand seemed to be brighter than usual as he focused on them. Much like when in his palm, it danced around in the sky. Grains of sand seemed to flicker around the edges of the stream, as if wishing to break free but incapable of doing so.

The sand represented dreams, Zeref knew that much. "Our dreams are the same?" he questioned. Sandy shook his head, letting his own hands press into the snow by his side. He pointed to his own chest again, slightly below his heart, before pointing back up towards the sky. "You have dreams? I apologize, it is difficult to interpret your gestures."

Nodding, Sandy shrugged. For a moment, he began creating images above his head in a rapid pace. Zeref saw dinosaurs, horses, unicorns, fairies, superheroes, and numerous other images flash above Sandy's head for a brief moment. Pointing back up towards the sky, Sandy closed his hand into a fist and pressed it tightly to his chest. The man's eyes closed, as if holding it close to his heart. "Dreams…are who you are?"

His eyes flashing open, Sandy grinned brightly towards Zeref and pressed his finger to Zeref's chest. A question mark appeared above Sandy's head once more, looking into Zeref's dark black eyes. "Who am I?" Zeref stated, clarifying Sandy's question. The man nodded eagerly, while Zeref turned to stare back towards Burgess.

It was a strange question, one which left him silent for a while. Zeref had done very little with his life when he truly thought about it. Despite avenging his parents death, he ended up being quite isolated. He had no friends, and no one came to his aid after losing them. Alone, Zeref learned to survive, but he constantly dealt with the knowledge that he had been responsible for the deaths of others.

Staring down at his hands, Zeref frowned slightly. "I…I suppose I do not know. At one time, I was Zeref, the orphaned son of Burgess and murderer of Acnologia. Now…I have been told I am Grim Reaper, and I have been called Death itself more recently. Perhaps I am merely a phantom, a ghost walking about these streets that perished with my family. Then again, I would not have been able to interact with others over the last few decades, if that were the case." Talking seemed to help reason out his thoughts, Zeref noted. Still, nothing seemed to quite fit.

Sandy shook his head, pointing to the dream sand once more. Staring up at the golden light, Zeref frowned. "Ah, that is not what you meant. You wish to know my…personality, of sorts. In that sense, I cannot say. I've spent far too much time focused on guilt and sorrow to understand who I was meant to be," he said quietly. "Even as a child, I only managed to find myself surrounded by death. Perhaps that is my destiny, the endless cycle doomed to move on around me, despite my wishes…"

A hand touched his arm, making him glance over to see Sandy smiling over at him. The golden man shook his head, shoving aside the snow in front of him to reveal the green grass buried underneath. Grabbing Zeref's hand, he pressed Zeref's palm against the strands of grass. He could feel the scratchiness of the plant, mixed with the soft dirt underneath that was icy cold. Sandy patted the back of his hand, as if reassuring him that this was important in some way.

Turning towards the man, Zeref sighed and closed his eyes. "Yes, I suppose there is life around me. Still, I cannot help but focus on death," he commented. "It is odd…I've researched countless books and texts over the years, searching for an answer as to what I've become. Never did I once imagine becoming a mere story, nor did I realize such tales were true. If you are…a Guardian, as I've heard rumored, then perhaps I am created to stand against you. Death cannot be something a being such as you desires."

Glaring at him, Sandy created a fist with his sand and used it to gently smack Zeref's cheek. The black haired boy blinked in surprise, touching the slightly reddened skin as Sandy rolled his eyes at the boy. Rising to his feet, Sandy seemed to release a deep breath before turning back towards Zeref. An image of a different man appeared above his head, a familiar silhouette that Zeref recognized. "Pitch," he stated quietly. "I see, so the hatred between you is mutual."

Nodding, Sandy glanced towards the sky. He recreated his cloud of sand, stepping onto it with a frown. Turning towards Zeref, Sandy touched his own chest once more, before pointing back towards Zeref. A slight smile formed on his face, and he moved higher into the sky as Zeref watched after him. For some reason, that spirit had managed to calm down the storm that hd been growing within him. Zeref did not know if Sandy was his friend or not, but he did know the Guardian was trying to help in his own way. Touching his own chest, Zeref closed his eyes and leaned forward on the ground. The ache within him was not fading, but he at least had something new to search for. Sandy knew that dreams were all that mattered to him, and now, Zeref needed to determine what was important in his own life. Only then would he discover the control he needed, and stop fearing this power growing within his veins.

 **I really love the challenge of writing Sandy in stories about the Guardians. What do you think about Zeref's first encounter with him? Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

It took some time for Zeref to gain the nerve to return to Burgess. He spent most of the night in the forest, thinking about his past and who he had become. Still, he found he had no answers for the question posed to him by the Sandman. He knew his name and he knew his past, but Zeref did not understand what it was he even wanted out of life. His existence was massively altered, and while Jack wished to be seen, Zeref felt no rush to achieve that goal for himself. Natsu was the only person Zeref truly wished to speak to for now, and even with him, Zeref felt content with merely observing the boy in silence.

On his way back to town, Zeref could still see the trail he left when he fled. Death littered the forest. Blackened trees were scattered in areas, and near them, Zeref could occasionally spot a lifeless squirrel or raccoon on the snowy forest floor. He did his best to avert his gaze from the sight, feeling his stomach churn. He had killed them, and while it appeared to be painless, Zeref felt as if their lives ended too soon. Perhaps all things end up dying, but it did not mean life was not valuable in some form. He had no right to steal it away like this, yet it appeared to be exactly what his gift did.

He walked into town, sneaking between two homes as he gazed out amongst the people getting ready for the day. As usual, Natsu was moving to join Gray and Erza to avoid doing his own chores on the farm. Igneel was not a strict father, Zeref had noted, and Natsu often avoided work when possible.

"Hey, Natsu. Avoiding work again?" Gray asked, shaking his head at the boy. He put a hand in his pocket, moving to walk down the street.

Natsu's gaze flickered over towards Zeref, his eyes widening slightly. He seemed to hesitate, before eyeing Gray instead. "Uh, yeah, I guess," he muttered. Natsu rubbed the back of his head, frowning again as he stared at Zeref.

Wondering what was wrong with him, Zeref stepped closer with a frown of his own. "This is odd. What is wrong with Natsu?" Zeref questioned.

The pink haired boy narrowed his gaze, glaring over at him. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here, you bastard! I don't care if you're Death itself, I'll beat your ass if you even think about messing with any of us," he shouted, making Zeref's eyes widen. He blinked hesitantly, unsure of if Natsu was being honest or not about speaking to him.

Turning towards his friends, Zeref could see Erza staring at him with a frown. "Natsu, if you wish to shout, please do so elsewhere. I was planning on enjoying a nice quiet morning, but you appear to be intent on ruining this peaceful setting," she stated, looking mildly irritated.

Gray shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't bother with him, Erza. I think the flame brain has finally lost it. No one is there, you idiot, so why don't we get going? Don't you want to come get some breakfast today?"

Scowling, Natsu turned back towards his friends. "What do you mean no one's there? He's right here. Can't you see the guy in the black robe?" he insisted, gesturing towards Zeref. Glancing down at himself, Zeref could see how his outfit could be considered a robe. He did not recall changing, something he thought was odd, but his clothes were completely different than they used to be. Dark black robes covered his body, with a heavy white sash wrapping around it. Extra fabric from the sash hung over his shoulder like a cape, making him wonder how he missed the extra weight.

"Hmm…it appears as if Natsu is in ill health today. Perhaps we should take him to the local physician for help," Erza commented, studying her friend.

"Damn it, I'm just fine, Erza! You guys are the crazy ones, how the hell can't you see him? He's the one that killed Levy's tree last night, I saw him do it! At least…I think it was him. That dark stuff was kind of creepy…but then again, he is Death so I guess it makes sense that it wasn't all that pleasant to watch," Natsu commented, glancing over towards him.

Shaking his head, Zeref slowly began to snap out of his daze. "Natsu…you see me," he stated quietly, a small smile growing on his face. "I…I did not expect to be so pleased with that fact. Death…I suppose it is close enough to my name, one who reaps death, a grim path for anyone to live through. Perhaps that is what the origins of the name is…Grim Reaper, though I prefer Zeref."

"I don't care what you prefer. If you go around killing people, there's no way I'm letting you stick around for long," Natsu countered, glaring back at him.

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head and took a step back. Erza and Gray shared a look, both of them seeming to grow more concerned for their friend. "Natsu, are you sure you're alright? You seem kind of…well, you're talking to thin air. Obviously there's something wrong with your head, or at least, more wrong than usual at least," Gray commented.

Turning towards Natsu, Zeref sighed. "They cannot see me. I do not know what it is that allows others to see me, Natsu, for you are the first to ever do so. You claim to wish for me to leave, however, I have no where else to go. Believe it or not, I was born in this town…nearly sixty years ago."

With a glare on his face, Natsu huffed and turned back to his friends. "Fine, but you're gonna show your face to them soon. I'm not going to have my friends thinking I'm crazy, so if you want to make up for what you did last night…figure it out and show them that I'm right, okay, Zeref?"

Erza and Gray still looked doubtful, but Zeref nodded with a smile. "Of course, though it may take time. If it helps, I know you are not crazy."

This time, Natsu seemed to have learned not to reply to him. Instead, the boy just forced a smile, laughing lightly as he focused back on his wide-eyed friends. "Sorry about that…I just got a feeling that some creep was stalking us. Kinda reminds me of the invisible force from before…"

In response, Gray smacked the back of Natsu's head. "We told you before, there's no such thing, blockhead."

With his brief smile fading, Natsu raised a fist towards Gray. "Yeah, well I say there is. You wanna try and prove me wrong, ice princess?"

"Like you stand a chance of beating me. Besides, we've got better things to do with our time today." Crossing his arms over his chest, Gray gave Natsu a slight smirk. "With the weird weather we've had lately, school's been canceled. Erza and I were planning on enjoying our freedom for a bit by building a fort in the snow."

Lifting her head slightly, Erza smiled proudly. "Indeed, it will be a magnificent structure by the time it is complete. In fact, we may just create a snowman in addition to the fort, to stand guard over our awe-inspiring creation." Her exaggerations made Zeref sigh, shaking his head. She often got dramatic with things like this, but it did not make her less entertaining to observe. Likely, she would try and micromanage their every action in the creation of this fort, ruining the fun for both Gray and Natsu in a way. However, something would happen that would leave them all laughing anyway, restoring their odd friendship back to normal.

Glancing towards Zeref, Natsu frowned for a moment before shaking his head and giving Erza a slight smile. "Sounds like a plan. Do you think we could make a dragon too? Every castle has got to have a dragon inside."

"What kind of idiot tries to make a fire-breathing dragon out of snow?" Gray stared at Natsu and rolled his eyes.

Giving Gray a toothy grin, Natsu laughed. "Who said it'd breath fire? This dragon will be…a snow dragon! Fear his mighty frozen roar, capable of freezing over entire cities in an instant!" His own imagination made Zeref chuckle, shaking his head. However, the noise made Natsu's smile vanish, frowning as he studied Zeref closely.

"Sorry, I am not used to being heard." With his own smile fading, Zeref frowned and observed as the three friends stopped. They stood towards the edge of town, just at the border between Burgess and the forest that contained the lake Zeref had come from. "It is strange, how used to it I've become. All of this time…I've spoken to others, but never once have I looked for a response. Time has made me used to silence, to being alone…and I had given up on being seen."

With a grunt, Natsu crouched down in the snow and began clumping pieces of it together. Jack had been hard at work, with just how much there was on the ground. Gray joined Natsu, while Erza stood over them. "Now, our structure must have symmetry! Gray, stop padding that side with too much snow, it is making our fort lopsided!" With her order sending shivers down his spine, Gray quickly moved away from Natsu to establish more length to the beginnings of the first wall of their fort.

Walking over to the other side, Natsu now crouched down to face Zeref. With nothing else to do, Zeref sat in the snow with his legs crossed, watching him work. Their gazes seemed to lock for a moment, while Natsu sighed, his breath making a light fog in the air. "I always had an odd interest in your family, I suppose. Your mother…she was the last person I spoke to. We were not friends, nor did she even care for me…in fact, I am almost certain she hated me." Natsu blinked up at him, before seeing Erza pause and turn towards him. Spotting her glance, he quickly focused back on his work.

"Even before….before I was like this, I was not like others. People my age did not grasp the simplest of concepts, and I often found it tedious to deal with them. To be quite honest, this forced isolation has brought me…an odd peace, of sorts." This time, Natsu seemed to have figured out how to listen without reacting too much. "I can speak my thoughts openly, without fear of being reprimanded for their dark nature. People often were afraid of me in the past…because I did not shy away from death. It is a natural cycle, endless and always a part of life…yet, I do not wish to be part of what causes the end of anyone's path."

His black eyes lifted to see Natsu slowing his pace on patting the snow. Their wall was growing already, and Erza was now joining in along with commanding their every move. "Your mother hated me…for I was capable of seeing when it was hopeless to save another life. She wished to save her brother, yet he was already too far gone to be saved. As I was the one who pulled her away from his body…she blamed me for his final end. I've always been left wondering…am I truly nothing more than this? If I bring nothing but suffering and pain, why am I here? What purpose do I serve?" Thinking back to last night, Zeref glanced away and frowned at the snowy ground. Pushing away the snow, he let his hand sink into the dirt road beneath him, just as it had last night in the grassy forest. Beads of dirt seemed to wrap around his fingers, allowing it to sink deeper into the cold surface. "Perhaps that is not what I wish to know. If no one sees me, and no one hears me…just how can I know that I even exist? If I am just a spirit wandering through this world…why should my existence matter? Why am I alive…and…just who am I meant to be?"

There was a desperation in his tone, one that had grown the more he spoke. So long, he had been the only voice to speak in his own world. Others could be heard, but no one responded to his calls. Now, his rants could be heard. However, this boy could not reply with the others around. Within him, he felt a restless energy begin to stir slightly. His hand pulled free of the ground, resting on the snow beside him. Zeref stared at his palm as he placed the back of his hand in the cold snow, relaxed despite the tingling growing underneath his skin. This magic truly did react to emotion, just not the emotions Jack tried to appeal to in the past.

With his head hung low, he didn't see the way Natsu glanced over towards his friends quickly, biting his lip before moving closer to Zeref. The others continued working, not noticing as Natsu slipped just a little ways away from them. In a quiet voice, he began whispering to Zeref as he gathered a pile of snow together by his feet. "I don't really know you…so I guess I can't say much about it." Nodding, Zeref felt his hair fall over his eyes, obscuring his vision slightly as his hand clenched into a fist. His other arm moved to curl into his lap, hidden within the soft folds of his robe.

He felt a hand pat his shoulder, making him jump back slightly and lift his head immediately. A choked noise escaped his throat, a cross between a squeak and a grunt as he turned towards Natsu. A slight laugh came from the other boy, who noticed Zeref's discomfort. "You weren't kidding, you really aren't used to being seen!" Natsu grinned and let his hand fall away, instead returning to the snow. "Still…I guess you aren't as bad as I first thought. I guess I just kind of scared you by seeing you yesterday, huh? I mean, that'd explain why you decided to go crazy and start killing things, if you thought I was trying to hurt you or something."

Closing his eyes, Zeref took a deep breath and pulled his other hand back into his lap. Folding them together, he inhaled deeply yet again, before shaking his head and opening his eyes. "No…I do not think that was the cause. In fact…I am not entirely certain why I kill…it has not happened before, and thinking about it happening again…" He trailed off, frowning as his brow furrowed. His head tilted forward yet again, and his thumbs began to twirl around with his grip loosening in his lap.

Seeing his expression, Natsu nodded and glanced towards his friends again. Erza seemed to have just noticed that Natsu had moved away from their main fort, and she was moving to correct his actions. "Well, you don't have to talk about it yet. When you get it figured out…I guess I'll still be around to help you through it. I mean, if it helps my friends see you so I don't seem crazy, I'm all for it. And…I guess you're kinda my friend too. We haven't talked or anything…but you said you've been watching me for a while, so you're kinda like my guardian angel or something, right?" He lifted an eyebrow at Zeref, who only stared at him mutely. "Anyway, Erza's coming and trust me, you don't want to make Erza mad. I've gotta get back to work, so I'll talk to you later, alright?"

This time, Zeref nodded, watching Natsu return to his friends. Rising to his feet, he gave the boy a slight nod, catching Natsu's attention before he turned to leave. He was not going to interrupt him again, not when the boy had a normal life to live. Perhaps it would have been better to not be seen by anyone. Despite his wish to have just a single person to speak with, it seemed oddly wrong to bring others into his own problems. He would find a way to deal with this power on his own, and afterwords, he would determine just why it was that Natsu had suddenly gained his ability to see Zeref.

 **The pacing of this story feels so slow to me...but I guess drafts turn out that way when I'm trying to think of a plot while I write them. A lot of the bonding between characters becomes important later on, but if it feels too slow for you guys, feel free to let me know and I'll try to adjust it a bit better. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or ROTG

It had been a while since Zeref last saw Jack Frost. As night fell over Burgess and people returned to their homes, Zeref was expecting a quiet night. He found a place to rest on the edge of town, just next to the fort built by Natsu, Gray, and Erza. While they had all put a lot of effort into it, Zeref couldn't quite see what was so spectacular about snow packed together in various shapes. In the end, it was still just snow, even if it took on a different form. With the towers built on the corners, decorating the edges of the walls, it seemed to be designed with a somewhat castle-like structure. In front of it, he could see another blob of snow, one that seemed incomplete in its construction. Smiling, Zeref wondered if this was Natsu's attempt at a dragon, before Erza stopped him and returned his focus to the actual fort.

With his legs folded, his knees drawn towards his chest, Zeref began to trace lines in the snow. He really didn't have anything else to do, and contemplating his own questions would only make him feel even more lost. The memory of his restless magic outburst flashed in his mind, making his hand stop and his smile vanish. A slight shaking came over his hand, leaving his next line somewhat jagged on the ground. Seeing the line, Zeref stopped, closing his hand into a fist and slamming his eyes shut. Moisture pooled underneath his eyelids, leaving a burning sensation in his eyes as a few tears began to unwillingly fall onto the snowy ground.

A hand touched his shoulder, making Zeref jump and spin around. His pulse sped up slightly, and a restless current began to stir under his skin. Rubbing his arm, Zeref inhaled slowly, trying to calm the untamed storm within him. His eyes lifted to see the person reaching out to him, but he was speaking before he even looked at them. "No…stay away. I can't…this can't be….it feels far more restless now." His gaze dropped to his hands, before flickering up again at Jack Frost, the boy who had just landed in the snow by his side.

"Uh…alright." Jack shrugged, resting his staff on his shoulder and shoving a hand into the pocket of his hoodie. "Sorry, I know I haven't been around much…other places need snow too, right?" He gave Zeref a slight grin, before crouching slightly in the snow. "So, I'll make it up to you now, with a little bit of fun. What do you say to a snowball fight? Or maybe we could go sledding? Oh, even better yet, there's a lake not far from here. We could go ice skating and—"

Raising a hand, Zeref cut him off and shook his head. "Not now, Jack. I…I discovered just what magic it is that I possess…and right now, I cannot seem to determine just what causes it to unleash itself on the world." He turned his gaze towards the trees around them, sighing at the sight. Apparently, he had not been able to stop that power anyway. They were wilted away, the trunks rotting with blackened spots dancing around on the bark. He knew that if he brushed away the snow, he would find that the grass was browned and decayed underneath. However, that wasn't necessary to see, considering a squirrel seemed to have fallen onto the ground, lifeless yet uninjured.

Quickly turning away, Zeref grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. "That's awesome! So, what can you do? I mean, I've got some wicked abilities with snow and frost. Did I ever show you my frost making skills? I don't think I have, but I can make some pretty amazing designs with it." Jack smirked and came closer, ignoring Zeref's previous warning.

Seeing the approaching winter spirit, Zeref took a step back, closer to the snow fort behind him. "It was fine earlier…when I spoke to Natsu, nothing seemed off…but now, it is back. I cannot say what brings it about…all I know is that it only reminds me of Pitch. He was correct…I do fear this power, and the more I fear it…the more it seems to take control."

Controlling this fear, however, was not something Zeref understood how to do. If it was fear of another person, or an animal, he had ways of taming it. By researching what he was afraid of, he gained a new understanding of just what that creature was doing. Then, he could analyze the dangers properly, and no longer be afraid of the result. That had been what he did when he realized his fear of Acnologia, and saw the weakness in the man that had murdered his parents. That had also been his method for coping afterwords, with his own fear of death. He understood that death came to all living things, that no one stood beyond its reach. Even if it came sooner than planned, it was part of a natural cycle, and thus, it was pointless to fear it.

The issue with this fear, was that it was magic. By definition, magic did not follow the rules and logic of nature like all other things. Within him, this restless energy was capable of anything, and without a method of calming it or understanding it, Zeref's fear only grew. "Well, don't be afraid then. Sure, magic can do some pretty crazy things…but it's still a part of you. I know you can control yourself, Zeref, so just control this the same way you control your own actions."

Jack's suggestion wasn't helping. Zeref balled his hands into fists, his black eyes lifting towards the winter spirit with a scowl on his face. "Control my actions? You know nothing about me, Jack Frost…you do not understand even the basic concepts of control, either. You do as you wish, not caring about the consequences…you make promises you cannot even comprehend how to keep…and yet, you seem to move on as if nothing has been done wrong." Stepping closer, Zeref felt a rage burning within him. "No one should have offered to teach me this magic…no one should have a dark gift such as this. You wish to know what I am capable of? Very well…I will show you the power running in these veins…the one you seem to think can be controlled and used for good."

With that, Zeref closed his eyes and raised his arms over his head. His words before did give him something to at least allow his magic to explode outward. By focusing on his fear, he felt the burning power build within his chest. His heart beat quickened, pounding beneath his chest as he resisted the urge to shudder. The burning current traveled along his skin, pounding in unison with his pulse. When it reached his head, he grimaced and let out a slight groan. The more the power pounded within him, the more painful this headache became. As his hand fell into his hair, he hunched over slightly and opened his eyes slightly to see the magic unleashing itself on the world around him. Startled, the winter spirit jumped into the sky and flew backward, away from the spiraling cloud of darkness surrounding Zeref.

When the cloud began to fade away, Zeref took a deep breath and fell to his knees on the ground. His eyes closed, with his hands closing into fists over the wet snow. The chill that seeped into his palms did not matter. Even when it turned his hands red and began to make his palms numb, Zeref kept them in place. He deserved that pain, after what he had just done. Why had he wished to unleash that power again? The anger he felt moments ago had vanished in an instant, and as he lifted his gaze to see the aftermath, he realized that his anger had brought about far worse consequences than he had ever imagined. The trees that had already begun to decay away were completely gone from his sight, destroyed by such dark magic. Others that had been unharmed were now decayed into dirt as well, the remains coating the snow in the form of a black dust speckling the ground.

Still hovering in the air, Jack watched Zeref with wide eyes. The winter spirit seemed to pause for a moment, his knee bent slightly with his staff hanging just below his feet in the air. Glancing up at the only friend he ever had, Zeref felt an odd ache in his chest. For something so small as a minor irritation, he had attempted to end his life. A chill rushed through his arms, making him drop his head to his chest. Zeref's bangs fell into his face, covering his eyes from view and hiding the tension in his jaw from his companion. As he did so, Jack slowly lowered himself back onto the ground, approaching Zeref and shaking his head.

"Man, and I thought I had some control issues when I first figured out my powers." A half-smile grew on his face and Jack let out a sharp whistle. The noise made Zeref flinch slightly, but he still kept his gaze focused on his feet. "I mean, when I first tried flying, I kinda crash landed into some trees. Made a mess of things too, breaking branches and scratching myself up too. Heck, I did the same thing again when I tried flying the second time. And the time after that and the time after that…" Jack trailed off, letting his staff drag along the ground. Where it moved, a trail of frost seemed to follow.

When Zeref didn't look up to meet Jack's eyes, the winter spirit crouched low to the ground. Peering upward towards Zeref, he reached out and grasped Zeref's arms gently. Leaning away slightly, Zeref felt cold seeping in through his robes from the boy's slender fingers. "Hey…I get it, things look pretty bad. But sometimes, it just takes a bit of practice to figure things out. Once you do, I'm sure you and I will be having a ton of fun with your powers. I mean, did you see how awesome that spell looked from the outside? Sure, it caused a bit of damage, but it was pretty impressive to me." A smirk was on the boy's face, and he gave Zeref's arms a slight squeeze. "So, how about we start now? You just forget about this little incident, and we'll go back to my old suggestion. That frozen lake is the perfect place to forget about all of this and just have fun for once."

Taking a deep breath, Zeref closed his eyes as his fingers curled into his palms, forming fists by his sides. "I…I am not you, Jack Frost." His words were quiet, but his voice seemed far steadier than he felt. The chill running through his veins seemed to be making him numb, leaving him feeling out of touch with the events around him. Maybe plants were dead, but it wasn't his own life that had been forfeit in this spell. "Fun does not make the memories of suffering vanish from my mind, nor does snow have the capability of hiding away the pain that I live with. Perhaps I wished to understand more about myself…but now, I am beginning to wonder if that is something anyone should truly desire."

Rising to his feet, Jack tilted his head slightly and swung his staff over his shoulder. "So? Maybe it doesn't fix all of your problems, but it definitely makes the world seem a little brighter." Holding a hand out towards Zeref, Jack tried his offer again. "I'm not inviting you to play a game to forget about this strange power of yours, Zeref. I'm inviting you…because you're my only friend, the only person that I can even talk to about any of this. Heck, you're really the only person I can talk to period. Maybe you're a little weird, and maybe you've got some creepy magic going on, but that doesn't mean we can't go out and enjoy ourselves every once in a while, right?"

Eying Jack's hand, Zeref bit his lip and stood still for a moment. A light breeze ran through his hair, carrying small flecks of snow that always seemed to fall when Jack was around. "You will not inquire further about my abilities?" Zeref's question was quiet, barely audible despite the silence of the night.

Nodding, Jack grinned and crossed his arm over his chest, giving Zeref a slight, but overly dramatic bow. "You have my word, good sir." There was a levity in his tone that made Zeref doubt his sincerity. It didn't help that Jack finished it with a grin, letting out a brief chuckle at his own antics. "Now, can we finally get out of this depressing place and do something instead? I've been dying to try out some new tricks of mine. You'd never believe the things you can pull off in the snow if you tap into the wind as well." With that, a slight glint seemed to appear in Jack's icy blue eyes. A mischievous grin was on his face, with his eyes locked on Zeref and his hand still stretched towards the other spirit.

This time, Zeref slowly nodded and grasped his hand. "Then I suppose it would not hurt. Perhaps there is something to your philosophy, after all. Immortality is quite pointless if you spend eternity contemplating a death that will never come." The restless energy within him seemed to be calming, the storm subsiding for now. As Jack pulled him deeper into the trees, he realized that maybe he did need a companion after all. Never once did he realize how alone he truly was, until he had a friend to talk with about his troubles.

Snorting, Jack shook his head and began picking up his pace. Burgess vanished behind them, nothing but flecks of buildings seen between the trees growing around them. "For such an intelligent guy, I thought you would've figured that out sooner. Now, stop being so morbid and start picking up the pace. I'm getting tired trying to drag you around after me."

There was a half-smile on Jack's face, and his tone was light-hearted despite his words. Sighing, Zeref did as asked, but he could feel the corners of his mouth tilting upward. It wasn't quite a smile, but it was closer to one than anything he had felt in a long time. Stepping around another tree, Zeref glanced upward at the sky. Clouds blocked the stars from sight, while golden sand began to stream above them. The Sandman was hard at work yet again, though this time, Zeref did not see the actual person in sight. Instead, the streams spiraled around in the air, traveling in streaks towards town. Once they hovered over Burgess, sand would dip down and fall onto the children below, taking the form of any number of possibilities for dreams.

Entranced by the sight of the sand, Zeref did not even realize they were at the lake until his balance started to slip. The snowy surface he had been walking on became slick, nearly making his foot slide out from underneath him. Quickly trying to pull his feet back together to stand, Zeref glanced down and saw the icy surface of the frozen lake staring back at him. Blurred on the surface was an almost indistinguishable reflection of himself. If he didn't understand that the surface of water combined with light would create such an image, Zeref wouldn't have even been able to identify the black and white blur staring back at him.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref found himself growing calmer and more comfortable on the ice where he stood. As he stared at the ground, Jack's laughter cut through the air. Glancing up, Zeref spotted the winter spirit smiling and skating around the lake in circles. "Come on, Zeref! This is great! I can't tell you how long it's been since I've gone ice skating." There was a bright smile on his face as he twirled around. Jumping into the air, Jack added his own magic into his game. Using the wind to keep himself elevated. the boy leapt upward, before summersaulting into a flip. When he had righted himself, he let his feet fall back to the ice, grinning wildly and returning to his usual path on the lake.

Watching him, Zeref couldn't help but recall the last time Jack had been skating on this lake. Taking a hesitant push forward, Zeref recalled sitting at the edge of the trees, watching the boy sacrifice himself for his sister. Jack was an incredibly caring person, and loyal to anyone he viewed as a friend. As strange as his memory loss was, watching the boy now, Zeref could see that nothing had truly changed about his personality with the loss of his memories. He still ignored the dangers of life, by focusing on anything fun instead.

Moving slowly around the outer edge of the lake, Zeref felt an odd pang in his chest at the thought. Jack was so easy to understand, a simple matter to contemplate. However, answering who Jack Frost was got him no closer to understanding how to control this power threatening to overwhelm him. Wind seemed to blast by him as Jack sped by, grinning and turning around to stare at Zeref as he winded around the edge of the lake. This time, Zeref's gaze followed after him. Why could he understand others better than himself? Why could he not determine who he was, at the deepest corners of his heart?

"Hey, knock it off with the brooding look!" Jack shouted out to him, cutting across to skate by his side with a slight smile. "After all, we did come here to just enjoy ourselves for a bit. Kinda ruins the point if you're just going to stand there thinking about depressing stuff, right?"

Staring into Jack's blue eyes, Zeref realized that maybe it didn't matter at the moment. He had all the time in the world to determine who he was. However, Jack Frost would only stay around this area for a few months, before vanishing for another year. The boy that came with the winter would leave his life, and while he was alone, Zeref didn't want to know what dark thoughts might enter his mind. After all, if his entire existence was going to be spent surrounded by death, Zeref couldn't help but feel as if he would be better off not existing at all. Feeling a chill come with the thought, Zeref shook his head and took a deep breath before turning towards Jack and nodding. Tonight was not the time to consider such things, not when he had a friend who could help him realize he wasn't alone in trying to figure out exactly who he was, and what he had become.

 **Feel free to leave me a review with your thoughts on the story!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Fairy Tail

The sun was only just beginning to rise as the two boys returned to Burgess. Peering out at the edge of the sky, hues of orange seemed to hide under the cover of the dark black covering the majority of the sky. That orange would fade away the further out it got, becoming darker and more faint as Zeref's gaze followed it outward. The clouds seemed to have faded away, giving him a clearer view of the moon shining above them. A small smile was on his face, and after spending so much time in the snow and ice, Zeref was oddly beginning to enjoy the sensation of the cold. The brisk weather was familiar, and a sign that Jack Frost was nearby.

Walking into town, Zeref wondered if Jack felt similarly about having Zeref around. The two of them started out at the same place. Some strange power chose them for something, that much Zeref was certain of. Magic did not follow exact rules, not to his knowledge, but it did not make sense for it to come from nothing. As a result, he knew that there was a purpose to both of their existences. Zeref just couldn't help but feel as if his own life was meant to serve a much darker purpose than his companion's. However, if Jack Frost still wished to follow after the darkness left in his wake, Zeref found that he disliked the idea of forcing the winter spirit away. Together, they would determine exactly where they belonged in this world. Then, when Jack realized Zeref brought about nothing but destruction, Zeref would become alone again, and return to the empty life of merely watching strangers go about their normal lives.

The streams of sand in town were now more scarce as people began to wake up from their sleep. Passing by one of the buildings, Jack smirked and tapped his staff against the window. Frost covered it, spiraling outward and creating an almost snowflake-like pattern on the surface. Watching it, Zeref smiled and shook his head as Jack grinned widely, proud of his creation. "I told you, I can do some pretty neat things with frost too."

"I suppose you can." Zeref's reply was quiet, while the other boy sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Moving quicker to catch up with Zeref, Jack's smile faded slightly. "Look…I get that you're still upset about everything, but there's got to be a reason for your magic being so different from mine. I've been thinking about it for a while…and I've decided. It doesn't matter." Feeling his eyes widen, Zeref stopped and turned towards the winter spirit. "Things die around you, so what? It isn't like…I mean, you're the one always saying that things die anyway, regardless of what we do. Maybe someone wanted to try and play a sick joke on you by giving you that power. Maybe you actually serve some higher purpose neither of us really understand. All I know…is that you are a lot of fun to be around, Zeref. I mean, who else would calmly take all of my irritating jokes and games without trying to punch me like your pink haired friend in town?"

With his faint smile gone, Zeref glanced away and stared at the house across the street. "They aren't as irritating as you may think, Jack Frost." Tilting his head slightly, Zeref thought he saw something move in the darkness of the windows. Sighing, he decided that the rising light was playing tricks on his eyes. "However…despite what I may have stated in the past about death, it does not mean it is something I wish to witness often. Lives are precious things…with the limited time everyone has, they should be spent enjoying every moment they can manage. Attempting to prolong life…that is an ideal thought process. However this power…" Glancing at his palms, Zeref's brow furrowed slightly. "I cannot do such a thing. All I am capable of doing is cutting lives short, stealing away the extra moments people were meant to have with their families."

Restless stirring under his arms made him clench his teeth together, grimacing and closing his hands into fists. This energy was awakening again, threatening to break free with his words. Taking a deep breath, Zeref tried to empty his mind of all thoughts beyond controlling this power. This energy was his to command, he would make it so. "Well, I guess that's what I'm here for. No matter how short you make anyone's life, I'll be sure to give them plenty of snow days to enjoy." With a slight smirk, Jack shoved his free hand into the pocket of his hoodie, lifting his staff to rest back on his shoulder.

Seriousness did not seem to stick around long in this boy. Eying him closely, Zeref slowly began to sigh, pressing a hand to his head as the restless throbbing that pulsated under his skin began to subside. "I suppose that means you intend on spending more time in Burgess, then." Jack's laughter was his response. It was a light sound, filling the silence of the morning as the winter spirit spun around, walking backwards to face Zeref as he spoke.

"Sure will. Well, at least when I don't have anything better to do." Tilting his head, Jack's grin widened further. "I mean, there are some pretty great kids in other places around the world. This one time, I even thought a kid almost saw me. Pretty awesome, right?"

Natsu's face flashed in Zeref's mind, making him recall that he had more companions here than he thought. "That's right…I had forgotten…" Zeref trailed off, glancing towards town. Moving quicker, he passed by houses in the streets, searching for the one home belonging to the boy he had watched so carefully over the last few years. "Strangely, a boy was able to see me the other day. I meant to investigate the cause of such an event…however, other things kept me distracted." With a pointed look at Jack, the winter spirit gave him a mock glare.

"Hey! Don't blame me for that." Pouting slightly, Jack flew into the air to gain more ground. He passed Zeref, spinning around to stop Zeref from walking closer to Natsu's house. It was just at the end of the street, though, already visible from where they stood. "You were the one acting all depressed about your magic. I was just helping out…" That was when Jack began to turn around moving to walk further down the street. He had only taken three steps when he stopped once more, spinning back around with wide eyes. "Wait…did you just say someone _saw_ you? Like, actually noticed your presence, not just staring into thin air?"

Nodding, Zeref pushed passed Jack and continued forward. "He spoke to me as well. Oddly, his companions did not gain the same ability…however, it is already strange enough that he has broken away from the pattern that had formed after all of these years. Something has changed….though I cannot say what it is."

Glancing at the house, Jack seemed eager to get inside and meet the boy now. He flew into the air, speeding past Zeref and landing on the doorstep. With the edge of his staff, he tapped against the door with an eager grin on your face. "Come on…open already…" He bounced on his toes, jumping into the air again and flying over to the window. There was a strange light in Jack's eyes, and he was biting his lip as he gazed into Natsu's home. "If something is different…then he'll see me too." Jack turned towards Zeref as the man approached, looking excited to see the results. "Finally…I'll at least not be invisible to the world. Maybe then…someone can help me find an answer for once." A wistful glance was shot towards the sky, before Jack shook his head and returned his focus to the door.

When a few moments had passed, Zeref knocked on the wooden surface himself, trying to get the attention of the boy inside. "I make no guarantees of your visibility, Jack. It is quite possible for this phenomenon to effect only me."

With that, Jack seemed to step back, glancing at the ground as his fingers tightened around his staff. Watching him, Zeref frowned slightly. The boy's shoulders rose and fell as Jack took a deep breath. "Right…I guess there's no point then, is there? I mean…I haven't done anything different lately, so why would he choose now to let me be seen?"

The door in front of them remained shut and Jack didn't seem to be keen on waiting any longer for an answer. Instead, he spun around, yanking his hood over is hair with his teeth clenched tightly together. Following after him, Zeref found himself walking in silence for a while. Jack had worked to cheer him up before, so it only made sense for him to attempt to do the same. However, Zeref could not recall ever trying to create happiness in another. Considering what little he knew of the winter spirit, there wasn't much comfort he could provide.

Thinking back to the moment Natsu saw him, Zeref tried to recall what had changed. The boy had always sensed his presence, that much he was certain of. However, the same could have been said of a few of the other children. Oddly, Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu all seemed to be aware when someone was watching them, even if they could not spot their observer. Perhaps it was some instinct deep within all of them, but Zeref was certain they would be able to sense Jack just as easily as they could sense himself. So, there was something else that lead to being actually seen by everyone, instead of simply sensed.

Natsu had not seen him until the outburst of his magic. Death had surrounded both of them for a moment, killing plants nearby to catch the boy's attention. Zeref had expected little response, however, Natsu had reacted by claiming death was after him. Frowning, Zeref tilted his head even further. He had been given the title of Grim Reaper, a new name to go with his new powers. In essence, his magic was akin to death itself. Staring at his hands, Zeref realized that Natsu's comment had not been meant abstractly. The boy had believed a personification of death was following him…an actual person seeking to end his life.

"Belief." Zeref's one word was quiet, but enough to make Jack stop and scowl back at him.

"Oh, so you want to chat now? Sorry, I'm not in the mood." Snorting, he turned back around and began walking. "I tried talking with you…I tried spending time and playing games…maybe I shouldn't have promised to stick around, not if you were just going to go around…solving all of these problems for yourself…and not even bothering to think of those around you."

Jack's head was tilted downward, his pace slowing as he stared at the ground. In the air, snowflakes began to blow around more harshly, increasing in density and making the air look white, despite the darkness of the early morning sky. "You know what? Maybe I just imagined it all. I thought, hey, maybe this guy knows what it feels like. Maybe, here is someone who understands…just a little bit of what it feels like to be so completely, utterly…" Jack trailed off, throwing his hands in the air and spinning around with a glare.

Steadily meeting his icy glare, Zeref stood his ground. "Alone."

Scowling, the winter spirit crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his eyes. "Yeah. Looks like I was wrong. If you did understand, you would have at least tried…tried to get him to see me, too. You would have at least let _me_ try to get him to see me…but instead, you're just a selfish jerk who insists on keeping everyone to himself!"

Jack's volume had risen since his tirade began, though Zeref only frowned. The wind picked up around them, blowing around his robe and tugging on the cape on his back. His hair seemed to fly around as well, falling into his eyes on occasion and making him blink to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation. "If you wish to be seen, find a way to gain belief."

That seemed to silence Jack, who blinked at him for a moment. Silence hung in the air as the wind seemed to halt, though snow continued falling around them. When Zeref said nothing further, Jack's gaze hardened, and the wind slowly began to return. "Really, that's all? You're not going to say anything more, or even try to explain what the heck that means?"

Glancing back down the street towards Natsu's house, Zeref frowned. "He called me Death." That made Jack stop for a moment, his lips parting slightly as he backed away. Biting his lip after a moment, Jack rubbed the back of his neck while Zeref continued. "Natsu did not know of my real name, or more accurately, the name I had in my normal life. He spoke a name synonymous with the one I was given along with this power…he believed that Death was an actual person, rather than a simple abstract concept. I cannot think of anything else that had changed…any other reason for him to have suddenly gained the ability to see me when he formerly could not." Turning back towards Jack, Zeref watched the boy stare at him with wide blue eyes. "Travel the world if you must, Jack Frost, but if you wish to be seen…you must make the world know your name. Make people believe you exist, and then perhaps you won't be quite so alone."

It wasn't an ideal answer, but it was the only solution Zeref had determined thus far. The wind blew around harshly, eventually pushing back Jack's hood and leaving his hair blowing around in the wind. Blue eyes gazed into his own, with Jack's jaw still partially dropped. "I…find belief? That's all it takes…that's all I have to do…" Stumbling back slightly, Jack ran a hand through his hair. His chest was rising and falling as he took deep, rapid breaths. After a moment, he let out a short chuckle, grinning wildly. "This is going to be easy! Man, I guess you really are a genius, Zeref. A little snow here, a little snow there…people are going to know the name Jack Frost. They are going to love it…because who else would bring them this awesome weather?"

Flipping into the air, Jack laughed again brightly, before stopping and hovering for a moment. His eyes watched Zeref closely, stopping as his smile faded. Zeref was nodding, smiling softly at the winter spirit who stared at him in silence for a few moments. "You know…I could try and bring you with me. I mean, it'd be a lot more fun having snowball fights with people who can actually see me. At first, it might take a bit to be seen, you know?"

Glancing back at town, Zeref frowned. Oddly, this place held a connection to him. Despite all of the years, he had never once felt a desire to leave. Natsu's life, the lives of everyone here, he couldn't help but observe as they continued on. As such, he slowly began to shake his head. "It…I do not think it would be wise. Considering the nature of my power…I believe it is best if I remain close to the comforts of home. However, should you ever desire to see me again, to play one of your odd games, you can always find me here." A small smile formed on his face as he turned to face Jack's icy blue eyes. "I think I might enjoy that…having a friend visit on occasion."

Reaching down, Jack laughed and patted his shoulder, giving Zeref one last grin. "Alright, sounds like a plan. First, I've gotta spread winter to the rest of the world, though. I guess I'll see you around, Zeref. Who knows? Maybe by next winter, I'll have a few believers with me." With that, he seemed to spin around, flying higher into the sky. As his form faded away, Zeref couldn't help but smile and feel oddly warm. Jack Frost was the only friend Zeref ever made in his early years as a spirit, despite his brief encounter with the Sandman. In the years to come, Zeref would value his companionship above all else, for it was the one thing that made his own life bearable.

 **Ever since the one-shot I wrote a while ago, I've rather liked the idea of an odd friendship forming between Jack and Zeref, despite how unlikely it would be for that to happen. So, you will probably see that as a common theme in this story as a result. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or ROTG

Years passed since then, with Jack's visits coming every winter. Despite his former dislike of the cold, winter became his favorite season as a result. The promise of seeing his only friend made the waiting time worth it. Even if he could speak with Natsu about his existence now, the boy seemed to lack the ability to understand his own words. Only Jack could truly comprehend his issues with magic, and why he sought out solitude and isolation, rather than publicity and belief.

With the passing years, Zeref's magic grew more restless. Burgess became known to the world as Grim's Hollow, a place people went to die. Plants seemed to lose their lives before they even got to live, and animal life lost the ability to thrive. Knowing his presence caused this dark reputation, Zeref attempted to isolate himself further. Most of his time was now spent at the lake in the forest, meditating on the shore as the wind pushed the water around. The noise of the moving water calmed him in a way the town could not. That place reminded him of Jack Frost, and of the games they would play at that spot every winter.

Despite his efforts to remain hidden, belief in the Grim Reaper seemed to be spreading. An illness had grown more prominent in the area, a plague spreading like wildfire. Mortals feared that death, and often blamed him for the sickness. The more people realized how frail their lives were, the more people sought out someone to blame for their suffering. Zeref had seen enough people run from him in terror to know that he would never be viewed as anything other than a monster.

Hiding was not the answer, Zeref understood that much. While trees provided cover and the illusion of isolation, he knew that someone would always find him. However, this was still his home, and the place where Jack Frost would always find him. The winter spirit was the only person who ever saw the decency in him, the only person who made Zeref feel as if he could be something more than a murderer. As a result, this lake was where he remained, despite the blackened landscape that now surrounded the water.

It was mid-autumn when Zeref's latest visitor came. He had lost track of exactly how many years had passed since the first winter he had spent with Jack Frost. However, mortals were never pleasant to be near these days. Those seeking him wished to beg for mercy for their loved ones. Others wished to beg him to steal away the lives of their enemies. One was beyond his ability, and the idea of acting on behalf of the others only left him feeling mildly ill. As a result, he was often doing nothing, and he did his best to ignore visitors that were not his friend.

Standing at the edge of the circle of death that surrounded Zeref was a face he had not expected to see since he exiled himself from Burgess. The boy was older, but the pink hair on his head was unforgettable. It was still as spiky as before, but he had grown taller and more muscular. New lines seemed to indent his face, showing age as Natsu gazed calmly towards the man sitting in the distance. "Oi, I know you're there. So, wanna tell me what the hell you're still doing in this place?"

Frowning, Zeref tilted his head slightly and opened his eyes. "Natsu…this is rather unexpected." The boy only crossed his arms over his chest, standing safely outside of the reach of Zeref's magic. "I had thought it would be simpler out here…away from the lives my magic might harm. You of all people should understand. After all…you were there when I first discovered what I truly was."

Glancing away, Natsu frowned slightly. "Yeah, I remember. I also remember making you promise to reveal yourself to my friends…I guess I was kinda ignorant back then, wasn't I? I mean…from the looks of things, a lot of people have to die for anyone to even realize you're real." Nodding, Zeref let his gaze focus on the water before him. There was little wind in the air, but falling leaves created ripples that spread outwards at random moments.

"This plague is not my doing, nor did I ask for people to blame me for its arrival. If you came seeking a reprieve from this illness, I suggest going elsewhere. There is nothing I can do for you, Natsu."

Scowling, Natsu stepped forward and crouched on the ground. "No, that's not what I'm here for. I'm here because I've been getting a weird feeling in town lately. Kinda started a bit after the plague…but someone new has been watching us again. I figured it was you, but that was before I remembered you telling me you wouldn't be in town again for a while."

Saying goodbye to Natsu had been a little hard, but simply because of the distance between the two of them. The boy had never lost his distrust of Zeref, despite Zeref's odd attachment to watching his life. "I fail to see how this is my problem. Your inability to see what truly exists in this world is not something I can solve, Natsu." A dark smile rested on his face, though no light reached his eyes. He had learned over the years to smile when he grew to be alarmed by anything. Hiding his surprise was the best way of ensuring he controlled any situation, especially when surprise could lead to mortals attempting to end his life. One attack from a few years ago still haunted him, with the pain resting deep in his bones from the weapons they had used. Not even Jack knew about the attacks, not when Zeref knew the winter spirit could do nothing to change his own image.

Rolling his eyes, Natsu sat down and joined Zeref by the shore of the water. His black eyes gazed into the rippling pond, before he reached out and began swirling his fingers on the surface. "Yeah, I figured you'd say something like that. You never were one to care for others, that much I remember." Remaining silent, Zeref watched the patterns form in the pond from Natsu's actions. "Still, it's kinda weird. I mean, when I sensed you around, nothing really bad was going on. Sure, you kinda lost control that one time, but no one randomly started screaming because you were around. This guy…the few that can see him seem to be terrified. Things are different since he came to town…I can't quite put my finger on what's changed, but there are a few things I've noticed. My friends, Wendy and Romeo…they aren't the same. They don't smile as much, and Wendy keeps coming to Lucy and me about bad dreams."

Frowning, Zeref tried to recall a night recently without the Sandman's magic. It was a constant in the night sky, but if someone was not having pleasant dreams, surely something had gone wrong. Thinking about it further, Zeref's brow furrowed as another face flashed in his mind. That man from so many years ago, the one that had stood over Wendy toying around with the Sandman's dream sand. "Bad dreams…perhaps he has succeeded in his goal." His voice was quiet, while Natsu frowned and turned towards him.

"Huh? Wait, so you know this spirit or whatever he is?"

Placing his hand on the grass by his side, Zeref sighed. His eyes closed, feeling the lingering warmth of summer in the air. He did not want to return to town, not now. Zeref had spent so much time hiding away, running from his powers. Facing that man again…Zeref could already imagine the way he would speak. Pitch would taunt him about his power, forcing Zeref to acknowledge that after all this time, his greatest fear had remained unchanged.

Opening his eyes again, Zeref slowly turned to look at Natsu. For anyone else, he would have refused to speak. Perhaps he still felt as if he owed Emily for refusing to help save Jack all those years ago, but either way, it mattered little. "I believe I do. From what I've seen, he is harmless overall. Last I heard…he had an odd fascination with fear."

Snorting, Natsu folded his legs and sat up straighter. "Sounds like the guy I'm looking for. I'm gonna beat some sense into him for scaring Wendy like that…and for thinking he can get away with all of this. It doesn't matter who they are, all the kids in town are terrified of even leaving home. Someone has to get rid of this guy so things can go back to normal…" There was a grimace on Natsu's face. Staring at the boy, Zeref recalled an odd comment a while back about his dislike of change. Maybe there was a personal motivation in this for Natsu, simply to keep things as they were before.

"Aren't there any kind of rules for people like you? I mean, it kinda seems weird that super-powered spirits get to do whatever they want around here." Natsu was still scowling in irritation, thinking about his problems in town.

Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref couldn't help but chuckle slightly. The boy blinked at him in surprise, jumping slightly at the unexpected sound. "Oddly, I find that I cannot answer that question. It seems my isolation has kept me away from others like me, as well as from normal humans. However…this is the first time anyone has come to me, seeking help in solving a problem without death. Is your goal simply to scare him away, or would it suffice for his actions to cease affecting your life?"

Eyeing Zeref carefully, Natsu leaned forward. "I guess either one is fine. That guy needs to be stopped…he's creepy and he doesn't understand that people don't like being afraid all the time. Sometimes, we need to let go of fear and enjoy life, right?"

Avoiding his gaze, Zeref refused to acknowledge just how much he let that fear control his own life. He had grown still, silently gazing at their reflections in the water. "I will attempt to speak with him, then. I will not guarantee results…however, I have spoken with him before, and he does hold a certain…interest in me." He did not wish to explain further how staring into that man's gaze had felt. Oddly, it was like staring into the eyes of fear itself.

Grinning, Natsu patted a hand against Zeref's back. "Sounds great! You know, I can't remember why we ever stopped being friends. I mean, maybe you did kinda creep me out a bit…but you really aren't that bad, Zeref." His toothy grin made Zeref blink in surprise, not used to being in contact with anyone after so many years. No one was pleased with his actions. In fact, no one ever came to him for small favors such as this one.

As Natsu rose to his feet, Zeref moved to follow after him. "Would you believe me if I told you that you were not the first to believe such a thing?" Natsu raised an eyebrow at him, while Zeref smiled slightly. "There is another like me…an odd, childish boy who visits from time to time. While he has yet to be seen by the world, he always finds a way to continue smiling through life."

"So, he's another invisible force? Damn it, I thought I had found all of you already!" Natsu ran a hand through his hair, growling under his breath in annoyance.

Seeing the expression on his face, Zeref chuckled and shook his head. "Not quite. In fact, I imagine there are more of us than even we realize." Gazing up at the sky, Zeref wished the moon were out to try and explain better. That presence was nonexistent, however, banished by the light of the sun above them. "He is different, though. Unlike myself, or the enemy you currently face, he is gentle and kind. He does not deserve the suffering this existence brings…not like I do."

Silence filled the air between them, while Natsu bit his lip after Zeref's voice became quieter and more distant. He could still remember the first person he had actually killed. A young girl, with pure white hair had been playing with her sister in town. They had been visiting family, when the older sister ran off after a fight with Yukino, her sister. Crying, Sorano had been praying in the forest, begging for an angel to come down and take her pain away. Her odd beliefs had been what drew him in, making him wonder why she thought such a creature would come from a prayer. However, as he approached, his magic spiraled out of control once more. Her body had been found by her sister the next day, and ever since then, the young girl was far more strict in her lifestyle, seeing less joy in the world around her.

As they neared the edge of town, Zeref felt wary of what he would find within. He could not recall the last time he had ventured into Burgess. Even from here, he could see changes had been made. Technology had advanced slightly, and newer buildings seemed to be built along the streets. The structure they were built with was different than what he was used to, though not entirely unrecognizable. Natsu ignored them, however, taking Zeref deeper into town.

A few people saw Natsu, waving to the boy in the streets. Most of them failed to see Zeref, however, making him wonder if his popularity had died off. "Is the plague gone?" Zeref gazed around the town, seeing no signs of the illness like he had the last time. Before, he remembered seeing fewer people in the streets. Homes were closed off, lights on inside as they tried to keep those suffering warm. The few people suffering he had seen looked flushed with fever, though he did not know what remedies the town was trying to use on them.

"Kinda. After last winter, it seemed to have taken its course. With that, people began to forget about you." Natsu frowned for a moment, glancing towards Zeref. "It bothered me for a while. I mean, who just forgets about the guy they tried blaming for an entire plague?"

"People who wish to think brighter thoughts." Zeref was calm about the matter, actually pleased that Burgess had forgotten him. No longer would people fear this area because of his power or his presence. Things could return to normal, and allow him to at least pretend that his life was normal.

Glancing up at the sky, Zeref sighed and sat down on the ground. "Hey, what are you doing?" Natsu tilted his head at Zeref, stopping for a moment.

"Pitch will not arrive until night falls. Until then, I think it would be best if I remain calm through meditation." When Natsu did not move, Zeref sighed and leaned back, lying down in the street. People walked through him, while Natsu jumped back, startled by the sight. It had been a while since Zeref felt this odd chill, but he could become used to it once more. "I will inform you of the results tomorrow. For now, you can remain calm and know that I am here to at least try and help, Natsu." With that, he smiled slightly as he heard footsteps walking away from him. More people walked through him as well, making him feel an odd mixture of joy and sorrow. He was being forgotten, and the world was safe, but he could not deny how lonely his existence had become. Right now, winter could not come soon enough, especially with the mess he was likely going to find himself involved in soon.

 **I'm back! I do hope you enjoyed the chapter. In case I forgot to mention if before, this story will contain death/mentions of death (shocking right? A story about Zeref...casting him as the grim reaper...XD. I may have forgotten that disclaimer because of that fact sorta implying that death would be in this story.). So, if that bothers you, you probably shouldn't read on much further than this chapter as things will start getting darker in the future of this story. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

The issue with Zeref's goal was in locating Pitch Black. True, he understood that the man had been attempting to alter dream sand, but Zeref had never really focused on actually observing how the sand worked. Golden streams trailed into every house in Burgess, not really helping him to eliminate options of where Pitch could be.

Basing his actions off of Natsu's stories, Zeref realized that Pitch would likely be with the younger children. At this point, Wendy would likely be an adult, however. It seemed odd that she was affected, considering how much Natsu had aged, but it wasn't entirely impossible. Magic did strange things, and nothing said it could not affect adults as well as children. His own power could do the same, after all. He had learned that when his magic stole the life away from Jellal's mother. Zeref had not stuck around to see the aftermath of his deadly magic that time.

His own forced isolation was what led to the challenge, Zeref realized. He no longer knew where children lived in town. Romeo would be about Wendy's age, and those two were the youngest children he recalled seeing in town. Anyone else would be a new child, one he had not yet met. Not wishing to fail Natsu, Zeref began walking quietly through town, gazing into windows to see the dreams growing in each house. He was used to variety from these creations, seeing animals, princesses, food, and other random objects dancing around in the sky. Seeing them in homes was no different, as they created images above the heads of sleeping people.

Smiling, Zeref reached up towards a stream flowing lower to the ground. He rarely toyed with Sandy's power, but he had always wished to test out what kind of dreams his own mind would create. Dream sand was meant to mold to one's own thoughts, after all. However, as his hand dipped into the stream, the golden sand seemed to shudder at his touch. A ripple went through the surface, the color slowly losing some of its luster before Zeref dropped his hand, startled by the sudden change. Returning to its usual golden glow, the sand traveled on. The only sign of Zeref's interaction was a small handful of sand in his palm, no longer alive and taking form. Instead, it was dark, even the orange fading away into black in the palm of his hand.

Scowling, Zeref let the sand fall to the ground. Maybe his mind simply wasn't meant for dreams. After all, Zeref couldn't deny that his thoughts of the future left him feeling cold and hollow inside. One day, he knew Jack Frost would realize just how dark he truly was. When that happened, he would lose his only friend and be completely alone. Then, only death would be his companion…and the more he thought about that, the more he realized he didn't want that life. Zeref wanted nothing more than to return to normal, if this was his fate. At least then, he could always escape his life by fleeing into the grasp of death.

Flinching at his own dark thoughts, Zeref shook his head and took a deep breath. He knew it was wrong, but lately, he had been contemplating his own death more and more often. Meditation kept him calm, but thoughts of being alone for all of eternity tormented his mind. Not being able to sleep didn't help, and realizing that even his dreams were nonexistent sent an odd chill through his chest. Even amongst magical beings, he had to be set apart by this dark curse.

Peering inside another window, Zeref sighed as he realized he was back at Natsu's house. He really didn't want to bother the boy with this again, not so soon after being given this task. However, as he glanced inside, Zeref paused for a moment. There was a young girl within, dreaming in her bed. Glancing around to ensure that no one was around, Zeref slowly reached out towards his magic. After experimenting with his power over the years, he discovered he did have the capability of teleportation, to some degree. While he had yet to perfect the art, he could manage so long as he could easily picture his destination in mind.

Finding himself standing in the room he had been watching, Zeref approached the bedside of the young girl. Messy, snarled pink hair seemed to scatter across the pillow her head rested on. A slight snoring could be heard from her, though the girl seemed to move and pull her pillow closer to her. Above her head, a dragon seemed to be flying around in the sky. With a sudden motion, the girl punched upward, mumbling something about getting him next time before rolling over in her sleep.

Smiling at the sight, Zeref realized that this young girl must be Natsu's daughter. No one else would have inherited such an odd desire for fighting, one that was prominent even in sleep. Reaching out, Zeref went to pull her covers further up on her shoulders. However, he stopped, his hand hovering above her shoulder. Zeref's smile faded away, his hand closing into a fist over her arm before he pulled back. Taking a step backward, he felt moisture in his eyes. Coming here was a mistake. He had missed so much in Natsu's life by hiding away, but it was still better than stealing more away from the man.

Turning around to flee, Zeref ran face first into a person in the room. Slender arms seemed to grasp his shoulders, gently pushing him back. Glancing up, Zeref stared into the gleaming yellow eyes of Pitch Black. The man wore a small smile and even now, his figure seemed to tower over Zeref. "Grim…it has been a while, has it not?"

Saying nothing, Zeref remained still. After a few moments, Pitch seemed to vanish from sight, entering the shadows of the room. His voice echoed around Zeref, speaking calmly while hidden away safely in the dark. "I have to say, I had hoped to see you sooner. Tell me, have you come to see the reality of your situation? Or are you still…trapped, thinking that there is a way out of this life?"

Glancing at the ground, Zeref frowned and tried to stay calm. Taking a deep breath, he tried to imagine the first blizzard of winter. Jack would arrive, starting off his arrival with a snowball fight. If he held out until then, everything would be fine. "Pitch Black…I see you are still experimenting with the Sandman's powers." Granted, this time Zeref had not seen him doing such a thing, but he could make the assumption based on his presence near the child.

A dark chuckle echoed around him, sending shivers up his spine. "Well, I suppose I'm guilty as charged." The shadows seemed to dance along the walls, before spiraling and appearing on the other wall of the room. "Then again, I'm not the real criminal here, am I? That fear of yours…I can still taste it, Grim. It doesn't take a genius to determine exactly who it is you blame for the state of this town."

With that, the man appeared once more, standing directly in front of Zeref. His arms were folded behind his back, and he was still smiling towards the young spirit. "Perhaps I have made mistakes…however, there are others who trust me."

Lifting an eyebrow, Pitch leaned forward and began walking around Zeref. "Really? So, people believe in you. They _trust_ you. If that is the case, well, then kudos to you. Normally, it takes a little while longer for someone new to gain belief…to be seen by the world." Frowning, Zeref kept his focus on the single window in the room. A full moon was out tonight, shining in and giving the room a dark glow. "Then again…does any of that really matter if you don't believe in yourself? How can something exist within you if even you cannot find it?"

Zeref's hands tightened into fists, his eyes flashing towards the dark man in the room. "Enough. I tire of your games…and I tire of being reminded of that which will never change. Fear always exists in life. I cannot fight against such a foolish notion. However, I can fight against you and protect the one person who believes in me." Walking forward, Zeref narrowed his eyes at the man and prepared to attack. However, Pitch vanished and reappeared just next to the child, smiling darkly as he knelt by the bed.

Waving a finger in the air at Zeref, he began to reprimand Zeref. "I'd be careful if I were you. You never know exactly who your magic will hit in such a small room." Dropping his raised hand, Zeref glared at Pitch. The other man stroked the girl's cheek, almost caressing it gently with a smile. "Look at her precious face…it would be such a shame to destroy it with a fight here, now wouldn't it?"

Glancing away, Zeref felt his jaw tighten with a scowl. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Pitch rose to stand tall, lifting an eyebrow at Zeref. "You've come all this way…to ask about my desires?" He began laughing, his shoulders shaking as he spread his arms wide. "Why, I thought you'd never ask, Grim. You see, the answer is quite simple. All I want, all I've ever truly wanted, is what those precious Guardians stole away from me years ago. I want what they have…to be seen again, to be believed in."

Recalling the anger in his voice from before, Zeref realized that it went deeper than he ever realized. Even the Sandman identified Pitch as his own enemy. "I see. In that manner, I suppose you and I differ."

Tilting his head slightly, Pitch began frowning. "And that is what makes you so… _interesting._ " He said the word with a slight sneer, as if even he couldn't believe he felt that way. "Most spirits…well, they're boring, acting just like that pesky winter spirit you were so fond of before. Always seeking attention and belief, pleading to know why they are here and why they can't be seen. You…well, that is the strange piece. You are afraid of being seen…afraid of gaining belief. In fact, you almost fear it as much as you fear yourself."

His yellow eyes seemed to burn in the darkness of the room, staring into Zeref's black gaze. This time, there was no Jack Frost to keep his thoughts grounded. It was only himself and his fears. When he didn't reply, Pitch seemed to smile even further. "Actually, that isn't even the most interesting fear of all. More importantly…you are afraid of life itself. I don't think I've ever encountered someone who was…afraid of living. For that reason…well, I find myself drawn towards your fear, Grim."

"No." Zeref tried to deny it, taking a step back.

"Deny it all you want, you cannot hide your fears from me, Grim Reaper."

Pressing a hand to his head, Zeref avoided his gaze and focused on the ground. "Don't call me that. My name is Zeref." He hunched over slightly, feeling a throbbing in his veins. It hurt this time, pounding heavily as Pitch began speaking again.

"You cannot deny what you are, Reaper!" Pitch's shout made Zeref flinch. He stepped closer, and with each step, Zeref tried to stumble back. "I…I tried to do the same, once." His voice became softer, though slowly his expression turned into a sneer. "However, what else can darkness bring, but fear itself? How else should a child react to the one that hides under their bed, or jumps out from their closet at night?" Narrowing his gaze at Zeref, Pitch let his hands drop to his side, stopping his gestures as Zeref backed into the wall. "I realized long ago there truly is nothing else for me…and I embraced it. Only by embracing the fear I caused…by seeing just how much more enjoyable life was without battling against it…only then did I begin to truly understand the depths of my ability. So, I advise you, Grim Reaper, to embrace who you truly are. Embrace your name, and everything it embodies. If you cannot, well…I suppose I will have to show you the truth. No one, not a single spirit, Guardian, or mortal, will understand you as well as I can."

"I said my name is Zeref!" His shout was louder, his hands digging into his hair as he gasped. A throb rushed through his legs, making his muscles cramp. His knees bent, and his weight seemed to collapse on the ground. Watching over him was Pitch, scowling at the sight of him on the ground.

"How pitiful." His voice sounded less sympathetic now, almost disgusted with Zeref's state. "And here I had thought that a boy with such fear would have potential. Perhaps I was wrong. I think I'll—" Before he could finish, Zeref's headache seemed to explode outward. The restless energy within him released itself on the world outside. Darkness of a new kind filled the room, sending Pitch flying back with an unseen force. The spirit gasped in surprise, his yellow eyes the only thing illuminating the room in the swirling black vortex of magic.

The spell expanded even further as Zeref clutched his sides tightly, keeping his arms wrapped around his waist. He couldn't even see the edges of the spell. Pitch remained trapped against the wall, breathing heavily within. With tears in his eyes, Zeref tried to peer through the darkness to spot the child that had been in the room. Not even the golden dream above her head could be seen, however. Shakily, Zeref tried to breath and calm himself. However, there was no calming himself after this. He could not see the end of this spell, and the energy within his body seemed almost endless. Likely, everyone on this street was already dead. Glancing out the window, he wondered if all of Burgess was suffering because of him right now.

Feeling moisture on his cheeks, Zeref tried to determine something new to solve this issue. Clearly, meditation was not the key like he had believed. Remaining calm only delayed his outbursts, it did not stop them. However, Pitch had proposed a different solution…one he had feared taking ever since he discovered this dark gift. If he wished to have control, he would need to embrace the darkness that lurked within him. He would need to tap into the anger he pushed deep within his heart, the anger and resentment he felt towards this world for stealing away any chance he had at living a normal, peaceful life. He would need to embrace the fact that all living things would perish, and forget that life itself held any value. If he could do that, then maybe, he would gain control over this curse.

Staring down at his hands, Zeref inhaled deeply, trying to shake his head and fight against that path. If he did that, he would never be the same person again. He would kill, willingly this time. Jack would not understand, and he would lose his only friend. Glancing around the room, however, Zeref realized that perhaps he would lose his friend anyway if he didn't learn control. This magic, it was dangerous. He didn't know if it could kill someone like Jack Frost, but it wasn't a theory he wished to test.

With the tears slowing, Zeref took a deep breath, this time thinking back to a different spirit. The Sandman stood before him, explaining that in the depths of his heart, he was nothing but dreams. In his own odd way, he had asked Zeref a question that had haunted him ever since then. _Who are you?_ Closing his eyes, Zeref felt the energy slowly come into his grasp. It was alive, and this time, it answered his call as he tried to take back his spell. _I am Grim Reaper. I am Death itself…and just as this world rejects me, I shall reject the world._

Rising to his feet, Zeref lifted his gaze to see Pitch breathing heavily, crouching on the ground. Thinking back to the man's former words, Zeref scowled in irritation. "How pitiful." The repeated phrase made Pitch freeze, his eyes widening as he gazed up at Zeref. "Perhaps if you trained under me, you would understand how to succeed in your goals. As a thank you for showing me how to control this power…I suppose I could lend you my aid against these Guardians of yours." Reaching out, Zeref offered the man a hand. Slowly, Pitch took it and rose to his feet, his yellow eyes narrowing at him.

"I don't understand…you were so afraid before…yet in an instant, it is all just…gone." There was an odd tone in his voice, and Pitch seemed to be keeping his distance. Glancing over at the still body of the dead child, Zeref couldn't blame him. Even outside the window, the deadened yard and fallen bodies were enough to make anyone, even Pitch Black, afraid. "Why?"

Turning towards Pitch, Zeref felt a cold wall building in his heart. Nothing could touch him, not in this world ever again. Perhaps at one point in time, he had longed to be accepted and to protect life. Now, he saw that such things truly were impossible for him. "I've seen the truth. In the end, there truly is only one path for me to take. If I can do nothing but kill this world, then there is only one role am destined to play. I shall become the greatest villain this world has ever seen…and with you by my side, this world will know that everyone's greatest fear is death itself."

 **And now we've established the alliance between Zeref and Pitch! This chapter here was why I realized I really needed that content warning earlier. Still, it was a rather important moment in pushing Zeref to this point. For a little while now, the focus of this story will shift to Jack instead of Zeref for purposes of plot, now that Zeref has established himself as a villain of sorts. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or ROTG

Jack Frost had been having a blast lately. Sure, things hadn't ended up going according to plan over the past few years. He'd bring a few blizzards to different towns, try starting snowball fights, even give some kids awesome snow days, but no one ever believed in him. When one town got him feeling a bit too down on finding belief, he'd move on to the next, bringing a sea of flurries with him and the process would begin again. He just knew that one day, someone would have to see him. It was impossible for him to go on like this forever, right? That was what he held onto, along with the fact that if he ever actually wanted to talk about it, Zeref was back in Burgess, willing to hang out with Jack any time.

Right now, it was the start of a new day. Kids were waking up in this new town, glancing out their window and gasping in surprise at the sight of the frost-covered glass. Jack had gifted them with a bit of decor this time around, hoping that maybe the decorative swirls in the ice were what he had missed in the last town. Grinning wildly, a few rushed to grab their coats and gloves and walk around in the snow. More was still falling as Jack landed by the kid, a young girl with messy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. She laughed as she flopped back on the ground, creating an indent in the snow while she waved her arms and legs back and forth. Snow angels were a new thing for kids lately, but Jack found them to be fun too.

Grinning, Jack joined her on the ground, moving to make a snow angel of his own. She'd see the indent and know he was here. Finally, this girl would be the one to believe. "I've gotta hand it to you, kid, I never really thought that this would do the trick." Unheard, Jack only smiled and shook his head. It would take just a few more moments. The girl would stand up to look at her own creation, and then she'd see Jack's snow angel sitting right next to it.

Sitting up, Jack decided that maybe he shouldn't be on the ground for that. Using the wind, he lifted himself in the air to avoid ruining his creation with footprints. Other kids didn't have the ability to do so, but since he could, Jack didn't want to mar the angel with deep dents from his feet resting on the ground. As Jack spun around, perching on his staff to really emphasize his magic when she finally opened her eyes, he spotted more kids rushing over to her yard. "Mary, there's snow on the ground! Come on, we've gotta go use that hill we told you about." A young boy with dark black hair grinned at her, holding a hand out to the girl on the ground.

Looking nervous, Mary bit her lip and only sat up. "But…I thought you got in trouble last time. Didn't your Mom say it was dangerous?"

Waving her off, the other kid shrugged and gave out a little laugh. "Yeah, but it's awesome! Last year, we rolled down that hill so many times, it felt like we were flying!"

Lifting an eyebrow, Jack jumped down from his staff and walked over to the guy. "Really? Take it from me, rolling around in snow and flying are two completely different feelings, kid." Walking past Jack, the boy grabbed Mary's hand and pulled her to her feet, rushing to leave.

"Come on, just trust me. We'll be fine."

By his side, another guy nodded in agreement. His hair was light blond, and practically just a layer of fuzz on his head. "Just leave her. Mary's always been a goody-two-shoes."

Glaring at him, Mary pouted and stomped her foot on the ground, rising and standing in her snow angel. "Am not! I'll show you, Jonathan. I'm going to the hill, and I'm going to be there before any of you." With that, she took of running away through town, not even glancing back at the snow angels indented into the ground.

"Wait, what about your snow angel! Don't you want to see how it turned out?" Jack flew ahead of them, trying to get her attention again before it was too late. However, in doing so he placed himself in her path. A chill rushed down his spine as the girl passed directly through him, only worsening when her two friends did the same chasing after her. Their laughter was heard behind him, but Jack no longer felt like joining in. Every time this happened, he couldn't help but feel like he related even more to Zeref back in Burgess. He just felt like he had no control over what was happening to him, over being unseen by the world. If he couldn't speak to anyone, how could he get kids to know he was there?

Running a hand through his hair, Jack took off into the sky and left them behind. He had only just arrived in this town, but he was already getting sick of it. Maybe Zeref had the right idea after all. He didn't care about being seen, about gaining belief. The last time Jack saw him, the guy said that he didn't even return to town anymore. Apparently, people believed in death quite easily when there was sickness in the air. Jack couldn't blame the guy for hiding when everyone tried blaming him for all of the pain people were suffering through in Burgess. So, a self-imposed isolation was the result for Zeref. In a way, it would at least help Jack relax for a bit and just forget about his very nature. Being invisible to the world, with no real purpose…he just didn't understand what he was chosen to do.

Flying onto a nearby roof, Jack sat down and sighed, glancing up at the sky. Normally, these brooding moods came closer to night, when the moon was up. At least then, he could try and ask the moon for answers. Sure, he never answered Jack, but it was always worth a try. Maybe he could give Zeref an early visit this year. That guy would at least understand his miserable feeling, after spending so much time away from people. Then again, Jack was beginning to feel useless around Zeref too. Something had darkened the man's outlook on life, and every time Jack saw Zeref, he couldn't help but feel like something was broken in the other spirit. His eyes had lost a lot of their former light, and he just seemed…empty, in a way. Sure, he'd smile as Jack tried to play games with the guy, but those smiles didn't hold the former light that they had in the past.

Sometimes, Jack wondered if Zeref's magic had caused it. It was just another thing he could yell at the moon for doing, for stealing away the joy in his friend's life. Zeref didn't deserve to suffer that way, but even Jack struggled with putting a positive spin on the guy's power. Seriously, who wanted to go around killing everything near them? Jack was a bit disturbed by it when he witnessed the power, but he always hid that feeling with a smile and a snowball. Sometimes, a bit of magic was what was needed to put Zeref in a playful mood, and more often than not, Zeref would actually thank Jack for doing that to him. He claimed that he missed feeling like that, like there was nothing to worry about in the world. Zeref missed just letting go.

Sighing, Jack leaned his cheek against his staff, feeling his legs dangling in the air over the edge of the roof. It just felt weird doing that to someone who knew what his magic did. Sure, Jack would throw a little extra magic in his snowballs for kids feeling down. Seeing them laugh and have fun afterwords was always worth it, and the kids never seemed to realize the games weren't their own idea in the first place. Zeref, however, knew that Jack's snowballs could be used to put someone into a more playful mood. In fact, Jack could remember the man specifically asking Jack to use them on him. Apparently, the guy struggled with keeping himself calm enough to control his magic. Jack's magic helped with that, though he didn't quite understand how.

Debating what to do now that the one group of kids was gone, Jack glanced around the snow-covered town. It was a bit bigger than Burgess, with more homes and more kids to try and play with. Still, the homes were built from wooden logs, and warmth was given through fires that people seemed to be struggling with starting at the moment. He could see adults trying to convince kids to stay inside in the warmth, but many ignored them and ran out to join their friends. Maybe Jack could try and find that hill those kids mentioned. There probably was some kind of game he could make out of it, after all.

Rising to his feet, Jack prepared to take off when he noticed something off in the distance. The normally blue sky seemed to have changed colors. Streaks of greens and purples lined the horizon, swirling around in patterns that reminded him of dream sand. This one, however, didn't have the same dream-like quality of the other spirit's magic. Taking off towards the lights, Jack felt a frown on his face over the source of them. Despite the beauty in their appearance, those lights did not look natural. Something was wrong, and maybe this was the doing of some new spirit. Considering it was broad daylight, Jack figured he'd at least try and help out whoever was chosen and alone right now.

Smiling to himself, Jack realized he'd probably do a better job than the moon too. At least he'd give the poor person more than just a name. With what little he'd managed to figure out about his existence, he knew that every spirit like him would benefit from knowing that they'd be invisible to the world. The wind blew his hair back as his staff bumped into his leg, while he laughed and spun around in the wind. Maybe he was going to help this person out, but he was going to have some fun on his way there.

Looping around in the air, Jack began trying to add some aerial tricks to his flight. The lights didn't seem to be getting much closer, but if he played a game with himself, it would make the time go by faster. He'd had a lot of practice with flying. In fact, it was one of the first abilities he figured out how to use. Luckily, Zeref hadn't been around to laugh at his inability to land properly. He still remembered the sensation of flying into trees from that first night. Learning early on to practice, Jack had spent the next week doing nothing but experimenting with his strange powers. From there, he had left town to see what the world had to offer, and to determine if it was only Burgess that he was invisible to, or everyone.

Picking up his pace, Jack felt the wind carry him even higher. Land vanished from his sight as clouds and fog entered his vision. He wasn't too high to see the ground, but it did look way smaller from this height. Land just looked like splotches of green and brown, with the occasional splotch of blue from rivers, ponds, and lakes. The further he flew, the closer he came to something that made his eyes grow wide. A massive body of water, pure blue and looking almost endless was approaching him. The air was getting colder too, though the temperature didn't exactly bother him.

Pausing for a moment, Jack stared at the water. The last time he found a body of water this large, he ended up having to fly for quite a while before finding land again. Oceans seemed to separate large landmasses. Jack remembered actually trying to learn more about them once, sitting around with kids as their parents talked about the world they lived in. Not even people knew exactly where each continent rested, but they did have names for them all and names for the oceans that separated them. Spying on people had felt a little weird to him, though, so Jack hadn't stuck around to hear anything more. They didn't seem to be able to give him an idea of how far away other continents were anyway, so he had just settled in to figure it out for himself.

"I must be crazy…who the heck is living this far north anyway?" Shaking his head, Jack began flying over the water, deciding to take the risk. It wasn't like he absolutely had to stop for anything. It just got to be uncomfortable staying in the sky for too long, especially if a storm was coming. Unfortunately, Jack's ability to control weather didn't extend beyond snow, so thunderstorms still created plenty of problems for him in the sky.

A little less certain about the source of the lights, Jack kept on flying. He kept a steady speed this time, not wanting to use up too much energy just getting to the place. Water filled the land below him, sparkling in the sun and creating waves below. Angling himself, Jack flew closer to the water, smiling and letting one hand trail along in the surface. The cool water felt nice against his skin, but he pulled his hand out and bit his lip at the sight of a trail of ice following after him. Maybe he really shouldn't play around with a pool of water this big.

Rising higher once more, Jack noticed natural snow beginning to fall in the air. Frowning at the unusual sight, Jack focused his gaze on the distance for a moment. There, he could see the faded form of a landmass approaching. Even from here, though, he could see it was white. The closer he got, the more ice he noticed floating around in the water. Larger chunks seemed to form closer to the landmass, making him realize that wherever he was, it was naturally inclined to snow. With a half-grin, he realized that maybe this place was perfect for him. There wasn't a better place on Earth for him to hide out than in an isolated, frozen landscape where no one would even know he was there.

The lights seemed to be centered above this place. Landing in the snow, Jack glanced around with wide eyes at the pure white landscape around him. "Whoa." He breathed out the word, spinning around and admiring the view. Taking a few steps back, Jack nearly stumbled and tripped over a block of ice he had not seen before. Catching himself on the wind, Jack spun back around to look at the majority of the surrounding area instead. There, he saw a massive mountainside looming over him. Oddly, there seemed to be buildings actually placed along the cliffside, wooden and small dotting the landscape.

Moving closer, Jack wondered exactly what this place was. Clearly, it wasn't manmade. It was way too cold for any person to actually want to live in. So, who was out here? What were those lights? Jack found that the more questions he had, the more he felt like Zeref. Chuckling at himself, Jack flew closer. He spotted a figure running across the snow now, appearing from no where close to the buildings. It looked like a massive kangaroo, though the coloring was slightly off. Whatever it was, it shivered slightly before hurrying forward towards the doors of the nearest building.

Following after him, Jack slipped in just behind him and entered the home. Inside, warmth seemed to fill the room. The kangaroo shook out his legs, shivering once more with a glare. "Oi, this better be good, North! I didn't just leave my Warren for your freezing place for another cookie party, did I?"

A booming laugh echoed around the room as a rather massive man walked closer. With a nearly bald head and a long white beard, he looked somewhat scary. Tattoos patterned both of his arms, revealed by the short sleeves of a red shirt. "Signal is not for cookie party, you know this Bunny. Besides, would I bother you this close to Christmas for no big deal?"

A thick Russian accent came out from his voice, making Jack tilt his head slightly. "Huh, so I guess there are people out here. What was with the lights, then?" Flying around, Jack tried to inspect them more closely. However, as he did so, the kangaroo spun around and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Wait a second…who the heck are you supposed to be? North, what is this kid doing here?" Bunny gestured towards Jack, making the winter spirit stop moving and stare at him with wide eyes.

Before Jack could say anything, the now-named North turned and stroked his beard, gazing at Jack. "I do not know. Perhaps Manny selected a new spirit. Regardless, we have bigger problems to deal with. Where are Sandy and Tooth?"

Glaring at Jack, the kangaroo snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Probably busy doing their jobs, North. Haven't you learned that they're always late to your summonings? So, while they're not here…" His voice paused for a moment, turning back towards Jack. Seeing the massive kangaroo leaning down towards him, Jack just gave a sheepish smile and leaned back. "I'd say we deal with this little rascal right here. So, who are you and what do you think you're doing in North's workshop?"

Smiling, Jack ducked away from Bunny, spinning around and glancing around the room. The entrance really was inviting, but looking deeper into the room, Jack could see it opened up even further. With a fireplace on the left side of the room, the path seemed to circle around like a balcony, surrounding the floor below. Unable to see any details, Jack tried wandering closer, only for the kangaroo to grab him by the collar of his hoodie and pull him back. "Hey! Let go of me, I was just trying to get a better look."

In response to that, North moved to stand in his path. "No time for tours. You, this is official Guardian business. Unless you came to help, I am afraid I have to ask you to leave." Crossing his arms over his chest, North seemed to stare him down.

Waving his hands in front of him, Jack tried backing up, only to find himself running into the kangaroo instead. "Look…I didn't meant to get off on the wrong foot…how about we just forget about this and have a little fun outside? I don't think I've ever seen a place with as much snow as this one. Snowball fights have got to be awesome around here." A grin spread across his face, and he turned around to try and invited the kangaroo as well.

Blinking at him, the kangaroo seemed to have other ideas. "Out there? Are you insane kid? It's gotta be below zero! I'm not freezing my butt off for you, or anyone else for that matter. North's already pushing his luck with these meetings of his." He glared at the Russian man with those words, before turning back towards Jack.

Lifting an eyebrow, Jack swung his staff over his shoulder. "Well, I thought you'd be comfortable with it, considering all your fur, Kangaroo." The kangaroo's ear twitched at that, and he took a step forward threateningly.

"What did you just call me, mate?"

Something in his glare looked a little bit more irritated than before. However, the way his nose twitched made Jack laugh slightly, shaking his head and walking over towards the fireplace. The heat from it warmed his skin, though he found that he preferred the cold actually. "Kangaroo. That is what you are, right? I mean, tall, likes to jump around, Australian accent…" He trailed off, seeing the creature's long ear twitch again.

The kangaroo lifted his hand, forming a fist slightly as he walked closer towards Jack. "I am _not_ a kangaroo, mate."

"Kangaroo, not a kangaroo, whatever. Still doesn't change the fact that you are covered in hair that'll keep you warm if we go outside and have some fun." Crouching down, Jack smirked as he watched the animal turn towards North for help.

Stepping forward, North patted Bunny's shoulder and gave out a slight chuckle. "You are an energetic one, no?" Blinking, Jack wondered why he wasn't as annoyed as his friend. He had sounded angry before, but something seemed to have changed in him. "Relax, Bunny, the boy meant no harm. Besides, he certainly is entertaining to watch. You need to learn to loosen up every once in a while, old friend."

Grumbling, Bunny turned around and planted himself deeper in the workshop. "Fine, waste my time. I'm heading back to the Warren if this is what I was brought here for."

With that, Bunny lifted his foot slightly. However, before he could tap it against the ground, another person came flying into the door, crashing into him in her rush. Jumping back at her sudden appearance, Jack's eyes widened at the sight of a girl that looked almost like a bird. She was covered in feathers, and she even had wings. Hues of blue, green, and purple stared back at him as she spun around the room, laughing slightly at her crash landing. "Oops, sorry Bunny. We had a bit of a large pick-up today, a lot of soccer games are going on over in Spain. Can you believe how many kids lose teeth while playing sports?" She buzzed back into the air eagerly, tilting her head slightly. Around her, mini versions of her seemed to be flying around, watching her carefully. "Oh, another one! Sector 17, lateral incisor, get moving girls."

With that, one of the bird-like creatures flew off, leaving her alone. "Tooth, it is good to see you. Glad you could make it." North greeted her, walking forward while Bunny sat up, brushing off his fur. "Bunny was just talking about how late you were. Any word from Sandy?"

"Last I saw, he was over in China, finishing up a few last-minute dreams." Tooth glanced over, her eyes widening at the sight of Jack. "Wait, is this why you called us? Do we have a new Guardian?" She eagerly approached Jack, who backed away until he bumped into the mantle of the fireplace. Luckily, it jutted out from the wall enough to stop him from falling into the fire itself. "Oh wow, he's so young! Open up, let me see those teeth of yours!"

Unsure of what she meant, Jack frowned at her for a moment. "Wait, wha—" He didn't get the chance to finish as the girl shoved her hands into his mouth, pulling his jaw apart. The tug felt almost painful, making him try and lean away from her. The heat on his back reminded him of his limited space, forcing him to stay put as her fingers moved across his teeth.

"Oh wow! They sparkle like freshly fallen snow!" Turning back towards the others, she smiled brightly and nodded. "I highly approve of his choice this time, but why did Manny choose a new Guardian now?"

Glaring at her, Bunny rose. At the moment, Jack decided to just stay quiet with all the chaos. He had no clue what was going on, or why any of these people could see him, but obviously they weren't quite able to give him any answers right now. "That reckless idiot is not a Guardian!"

Maybe he shouldn't have decided on silence so soon. "Hold on a second, idiot? Sure, I may not understand everything, but I'm not completely in the dark about everything." Jack walked forward, narrowing his eyes at Bunny. Now that he thought about it, maybe he should keep that nickname for the spirit. If Bunny was going to insult him, he might as well have a little fun too.

"Enough! Tooth, Bunny, both of you need to leave him alone. Besides, this is Guardian business, others should not be involved." North eyed Jack carefully, who bit his lip and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh…look, I really didn't mean to interrupt…whatever it is that's going on here. I just thought those lights were kind of weird…" Backing away, Jack decided that maybe he was better off far away from here. However, as he moved towards the exit, the door opened one more time. A golden man stood on the other side, pushing Jack back into the room as the last of the Guardians entered to answer the call of the Northern Lights.

 **And Jack's curiosity is now dragging him into an emergency meeting of the Guardians! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Fairy Tail

The chaos seemed to pause as the golden man blinked at Jack, frowning in confusion. His gaze flickered over towards the others, before sand began to morph and take shape above his head. He pointed towards Jack, then the image above his head finished forming the shape of a crescent moon. Finally, he ended it with a question mark, glancing towards North.

"We've already been over this, Sandy. He is not Guardian. In fact…we do not know who he is." North glanced over at him, frowning and shaking his head. "Regardless, time is of the essence. Come, you must see Globe!" With that, he spun around, walking deeper inside. Sandy glanced at Jack, hesitating for a moment before shrugging and pushing past him, following after the large man.

Uncomfortable with being alone in this place, Jack decided to follow after them as well. "Just last night, I was busy helping the yetis with toys. Business was going about as usual, when suddenly…the lights began to go out." Sandy's eyes widened slightly, while Tooth gasped at his words.

"No…the children are not believing in us anymore?" She glanced around at the others, trying to see any hints from them.

Rolling his eyes, Bunny crossed his arms over his chest. "It's been happening anyway. Whatever that plague was seemed to frighten a lot of kids into giving up on us for a while…but I thought we already determined it wasn't Pitch?" Bunny frowned, studying North as he moved towards a small staircase. Meanwhile, Jack found himself taking in as many of the sights as he could. Tables seemed to line different areas of this building. At each of them, a massive, hairy creature seemed to be working on building various contraptions.

Hearing the plague, however, made Jack turn back towards them. "Wait…is this about that sickness going around? Guys, I hate to break it to you, but that went away months ago." They all turned and blinked at him, stopping for a moment as Jack flew on ahead. Now, the room they stood in was rounded. In the center, a huge globe seemed to be spinning slowly, with lights twinkling on the surface. With wide eyes, Jack approached it, grinning and pressing his palm to the surface. "This is amazing…so the world really is this big." He tilted his head, laughing and flipping back down onto the ground.

Crossing his arms over his chest, North seemed to be waiting for something else. As the globe turned, he waited until pointing towards a very specific spot in the east side of the United States. There, not a single light seemed to flash, unlike everywhere else on the globe. "Is not a world-wide phenomenon. I watched closely…only here did the lights vanish. If Pitch is returning…" That name tickled something in Jack's memory. He knew that name somehow, but he couldn't recall from where. "He is starting with this."

Staring at the darkened spot on the globe, Jack seemed to feel even colder than normal. He knew that area, inside and out. It was the place where Zeref lived, and it was also the first town he remembered seeing after he was chosen for…whatever his life was meant to be. "Burgess," Jack stated the name quietly, glancing at the ground. He didn't see how the Guardians all turned to stare at him, narrowing their eyes. "That town…it is a small village known as Burgess. I've been there a few times, but…nothing was wrong last winter. Well, beyond the plague of course."

Flying up towards the globe, Jack stared closely at that spot. "Wait, are you guys actually listening to him?" Bunny broke the brief silence that had settled over the room. "He isn't a Guardian, and we don't even know who this rascal is! In fact, he has no respect for any of us. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he didn't even know who the Guardians were in the first place."

"I don't." Jack didn't wait for anyone to respond, turning towards them with a frown. "My name is Jack Frost…and I really have no idea what I've been doing for the past fifty years. All I've really wanted is to finally be seen…but nothing ever seems to work." With a sigh, Jack jumped down and landed in front of all of them. "However, I do know Burgess…and that name you mentioned, Pitch? Now that I think about it, I think I have actually seen that guy before."

It had taken him a moment, but now the face came to mind. That man that had made Zeref look so depressed back then, he was the one threatening them. Just imagining him back in Burgess, near his friend, Jack didn't want to know what would happen. Zeref was already in a dark place, and having his fears thrown at his face…well, Jack knew there would be more problems to deal with than just some guy trying to play around with children's dreams.

Staring at the place on the map where Burgess was, Jack got a feeling that maybe Pitch had already gotten to him. He began to back away, but this time, North grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Wait!" He sounded a bit harsh, before he took a breath and ran a hand over his head. "Jack Frost…I must apologize for our treatment of you before. However…if you know anything, anything at all about what has happened here…it would mean a great deal if you would share it with us."

Turning towards the globe, Jack hesitated, biting his lip. "I…I don't know. Really, anything I know probably wouldn't help any of you. After all, it seems like you guys are perfectly capable of understanding all of this magic stuff without me…" Thinking about it further, Jack couldn't help but scowl at the ground. Here was a place filled with people like him, yet not a single person ever tried to reach out and help. Was this the system in place for their kind? Did spirits all just fend for themselves, selfishly ignoring the newcomers that were lost and confused about their very existence?

He avoided the concerned gazes of the other, feeling his hand clutch his staff even tighter in his free arm. "Well, then how about a trade? After all, none of us even knew that there was a new spirit in the world. So, we share our knowledge, and in return…you tell us what you know about Pitch."

Hearing that, Jack bit his lip, turning towards the man who seemed to stare at him with a light twinkle in his eyes. Oddly, for someone so intimidating, there was something open and inviting about his face. "I…you'd tell me everything? About how…how I could finally get someone to believe in me?"

Patting his shoulder, North knelt down. On his other side, Tooth seemed to gently touch his arm, giving him a small smile. Behind them, Bunny rolled his eyes and glared at the wall, ignoring them all. "While I can't force others to believe in you, Jack Frost…I can tell you what has worked for us." North gestured towards the others, seeing Sandy give them a small wave at Jack's hesitant look.

Slowly, Jack felt a slight smile form on his face. Finally, someone would give him answers. Maybe it wasn't coming from the person he wanted to speak to, but this was better than nothing. Nodding, Jack rose to his feet and began walking back towards the globe. "Alright…sounds like we have a deal. So, Pitch, right? Like I said, I really don't know much…the guy was creepy, trying to do something with a kid's dreams last I saw."

Hearing that, Sandy's eyes widened, tugging on his hoodie. Frowning, Jack glanced at him, seeing the man create a ball of swirling sand in his palm. Holding it up towards Jack, he seemed to be pleading with him for something, but Jack didn't quite get what he was going for. "Uh…thanks?" Scowling, the man let the sand drop and placed his hands on his hips. Sandy stepped forward, this time creating sand once more and spreading it around. Then, he formed the image of Pitch above his head, and pointed towards the streaming lines of sand again. A question mark formed next, while Jack only stared in silence, uncertain of how to interpret any of this,

Stepping forward, Bunny sighed and shook his head. "He's trying to ask about what Pitch did, mate. Sandy can't speak, so get used to interpreting his gestures if you wanna work with us, kid." He didn't sound quite as hostile as before, but there was still a twinge of irritation in his tone.

Nodding, Jack tried to remember. Honestly, Zeref would have been so much better at this. He was the one who actually took an interest in what Pitch was doing, even if Zeref was more affected by his words than Jack was. "It's hard to say…all I know was that the dream…my friend said Pitch was trying to change it. He was making it darker, the color was changing…but whatever he did, it seemed to fail. Sorry I'm not much help with that one, Sandy." The Sandman nodded, frowning and studying his hands closely. After a moment, he shook his head, his expression hard and fierce when he glanced back up and let his hands drop to his sides.

"Anyway, from there, it just kinda bothered me. I wasn't alone when I was talking to him, and Pitch just thought I wasn't worth his time…he spent most of his visit trying to freak out my friend…and I think it actually worked for a while." He remembered how hard it was to cheer Zeref up after that meeting. Actually, that was when Zeref seemed to retreat into himself further. He began hiding things from the world even more, refusing to speak about himself to anyone. Even Jack had to push to get the guy to talk about his issues. It wasn't until Natsu had finally seen Zeref that the guy spoke at all about how truly afraid he was of his power.

Thinking about the timing, Jack realized that maybe Zeref was afraid of even more than he let on. Staring at the globe again, Jack bit his lip, thinking back to how Zeref had spoken last time they met. He was terrified of being near living things. Unless he was completely calm and emotionless, his magic tried to lash out at the world around him. "Oi, Frost, you got anything else for us?" Bunny snapped his fingers at Jack, snapping him out of his daze. Blinking at the Guardian, Jack closed his eyes and stared at the ground.

"Pitch said something about hating the Guardians…and that my friend and I reminded him of them. However, he had already done enough damage at that point…I didn't really think much about it, and I didn't even imagine that he would try and do anything like this." Staring at the globe, Jack slowly shook his head. "No, actually, I'm almost certain that he _couldn't_ do this. Whatever he was doing, he was far from succeeding. In fact, I remember him complaining that the girl couldn't embrace her fear…or something like that at least."

"Wait, so he's trying to make children dream about their fears?" Tooth glanced around, nervously playing with her hands. "But…wouldn't Sandy be more affected if he had succeeded?" The golden Guardian shrugged, gazing around at his companions.

"No…if Pitch is careful, he would know how to hide until he planned on striking." Stroking his beard, North studied Jack for a moment. "You claimed to have a friend there with you, no? Who was this other spirit?"

Keeping his gaze locked on the wood of his staff, Jack frowned. "He liked to go by the name he had before he was…chosen. Zeref."

Blinking, Sandy seemed to jump forward at that. An image appeared above his head, looking like the silhouette of someone's head. Observing it more closely, Jack's eyes widened when he recognized it. "Wait…you know him?" Sandy nodded, smiling brightly as he grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him towards the others. More images began to dance above his head, varying from looking like presents to an image of skulls and bones. Likely, based on that one image, Sandy had seen what Zeref could do.

Chuckling, North patted Jack's shoulder. "It seems your friend has made quite the impression on Sandy. He rarely talks so much about anyone." Smiling, Sandy nodded, though slowly, his smile faded as he glanced back towards the globe. Turning towards Jack, he created the same image of Zeref's face over his head, followed by a question mark.

With the way Sandy was biting his lip and glancing towards the ground, Jack didn't have room for doubt of his question. "I don't know. He was still there…but this doesn't seem like him." Nodding, Sandy glanced towards the others, his expression hardening slightly. Pointing towards the globe, he got the attention of the others once more. As the Guardians watched him, he created the image of Pitch's face above his head, followed by a massive X.

"Not Pitch? Sandy, how could this not be him?" Bunny gestured towards the globe himself, scowling in irritation. "We're losing believers, which likely means people are afraid and believing in him. That's how it worked last time, Sandy. Plus, the kid just confirmed that Pitch was in town when this mess started."

Shaking his head, Sandy turned towards Jack. When Jack didn't speak, he nudged the boy gently, before grabbing his shoulder and squeezing it slightly. Taking a deep breath, Jack nodded and closed his eyes, letting his chin fall to his chest. "He…I think Sandy might be right this time." The others turned towards Jack, watching him carefully.

Flying closer to him, Tooth gave him a small smile. "I know you mean well, Jack, but we've dealt with Pitch before. You don't know him like us…so if we say this is Pitch, just trust that it is, okay?"

Closing his eyes, Jack refused to stare into her pleading gaze. "What…what would happen to your globe, if a bunch of people just suddenly…died?"

It was a dark question, one that made Tooth's eyes widen as she flinched back somewhat. Her gaze turned towards North, who was watching Jack carefully. Slowly, he sighed and moved closer, patting Jack's back gently. "Ah, I see what it is that bothers you. But Jack…" He paused, waiting until Jack looked up and turned to stare at North. "Fear is what makes Pitch strong. Do not make decisions based on what might happen. Try and focus on something else. For if you let fear grow…you become no better than our enemy."

Nodding, Jack inhaled deeply, meeting their gazes calmly. "Right. Well, I guess that means I should probably understand who this Pitch is then. At least then…I'll be able to tell you who I think is more likely to be the person behind all of this."

Patting his shoulder, North rose to his feet, moving back towards the room they had first entered in. There, he clapped his hands, shouting something out in Russian towards the room. With his order, chairs were dragged in by various creatures, lined up so they could all sit down. "That's the spirit, Jack. Now, I suppose it is time you learned more about this world you now live in. First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Nicholas St. North, the Guardian of Wonder and better known as Santa Claus." With the odd introduction, the explanation now began. Jack stayed silent, listening deeply as he finally got to hear an answer to the questions that had plagued him from the moment he rose out of that lake.

 **Jack's met the Guardians, and now he's being dragged along into their problems! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Being a Guardian sounded so boring to Jack. While North had explained their job to him, and he did understand its importance, it sounded like far too much focus and work. Plus, their ways of gaining belief just seemed wrong. Honestly, who ran around bribing kids all day long? Maybe North and Bunny disguised their bribes as gifts, but Tooth literally paid kids to believe in her. It was kinda creepy, the more he thought about it. For now, Jack figured he'd stick with his snow days and snowball fights. They were a lot more fun, and at least that way, he'd get to join in on the fun when someone did actually see him.

Rather than speaking about his opinion on their methods, Jack found himself thinking further about comparing Pitch and Zeref. While Pitch did sound dark, a man willing to do anything to make children afraid, he wasn't the same as Zeref. Jack knew his friend, and with how unstable he had been before, just a little bit of fear likely could have caused a disaster. Killing every child in Burgess would have the same effect as destroying their belief on the globe, at least, that was what he had learned in their little meeting.

From what he had seen twenty years ago, Jack was almost certain that Pitch couldn't have succeeded yet. Manipulating dream sand seemed complicated enough, just from trying to have Sandy explain it to him (He had asked about it after hearing what the Guardians did for the world. Unfortunately, the onslaught of sand images came too fast for him to even try and comprehend, leaving him just as clueless as he was before). So, something like that would likely take Pitch more than a few decades to master. As a result, Jack was feeling even more restless and uncertain. His stomach felt queazy, just imagining how Zeref would react if he had done this. The guy would go insane if this had truly happened and if that was the case…well, the Guardians would have a different person to worry about other than Pitch.

"Now, as you can clearly see, Pitch is the enemy we must be dealing with. No one else can make belief vanish as good as he can." North sounded confident in his words, leaning back in his chair. Next to him, Sandy bit his lip, tugging on Jack's sleeve again. The image of Zeref's face appeared again, trying to prompt Jack to try again.

Sighing, Jack rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. "Yeah…look, there's something I really do need to tell you. While I don't disagree that Pitch sounds like a bad guy, there's—" Before Jack could finish, he felt his body getting shoved back by a swirling vortex of black sand. It was growing, rising and flooding the room with darkness. Even the light of the fireplace seemed ominous in the shadows of the magic that stood before them.

Some of the sand whipped around into Jack's face. With a grimace, he lifted his arm to block the blast from his eyes. Peering out underneath his arm, he could see the swirling sand dying down, spiraling away into nothingness and revealing two people standing in the room before them. "Ah, such a welcoming reception from the Big Four! I see you've already gathered together, it's been a while, has it not?" A dark grin spread across the grayed face of Pitch Black.

By his side, another boy seemed to gaze out and scan the crowd. While his face was familiar, the red in his eyes made Jack flinch. Eventually, those eyes landed on him, narrowing slightly with a frown. "Jack Frost. I do not recall you telling me stories of meeting with the Guardians in the past. Has something changed?"

His calm questioning was familiar, however. Seeing the others watching him closely, Jack stepped forward, keeping his staff close to his side. This was not the Zeref he remembered, that much he was certain of. "And I don't recall you being all that friendly with this guy." It wasn't an answer, but he still focused his glare on Pitch as he jabbed his staff towards the man.

Walking closer to Zeref, Pitch rested his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Ah, yes, he did have a bit of a disliking of me at first. However, that was before he realized exactly what I could do for him…and after that, well, I'd say we work well together, wouldn't you agree, Grim?"

With a scowl, Zeref swatted the man's hands away, stepping forward. "Do not touch me. You of all people should understand the issue with such an action." Laughing, Pitch vanished into the shadows, his silhouette dancing along the walls instead. "As for you, Jack Frost…I suppose there is much we must discuss. First, there is something else I have to deal with, however." His red eyes narrowed at the Guardians, who were rising. Bunny pulled out boomerangs from behind his back, while North unsheathed a pair of swords from his hips. Even Sandy seemed to get prepared, his dream sand taking on the form of two whips in his hands.

"Who are you?" North's demanding question cut out between them as he moved forward. "Whatever lies Pitch has given you…we can always look past this and move forward. Please, let us help you…" He trailed off as Zeref vanished from sight. In an instant, he reappeared behind North, slamming a fist into the man's back. The punch made North stumble forward, losing his balance and gasping in surprise. Spinning around, Bunny instinctively threw his own weapon, but Zeref reached out and grabbed it mid-flight.

Tilting his head, Zeref inspected the boomerang in his hand with a dark smile. "Wonderful craftsmanship. It has been a while since I've played a game…though I suppose I have to thank Jack for my reflexes." With that, Jack narrowed his eyes.

"That wasn't the point and you know it, Zeref. What the heck has happened to you this year?"

Closing his eyes, Zeref seemed to look away for a moment. His hand dropped to his side, the weapon dangling loosely from his hand as he took a deep breath. One hand touched his hair, and for a brief moment when his eyes reopened, Jack thought he saw their usual black color return. "No…I can't value his life…valuing life causes death…" He was muttering under his breath, shaking slightly as Jack stepped forward.

Seeing the slight change, Jack decided to at least try and push him back towards the Zeref he once new. Creating a snowball in his hand, Jack blew across the surface, watching hues of blue shimmer over the snowy creation. Aiming carefully, Jack took advantage of Zeref's distraction and threw. It hit his arm, making the boy narrow his eyes and start to focus once more. However, blue sparkles seemed to fall before his face, and Zeref slowly shook his head. "There. Last time, you said this helped you out when you were feeling down. Want to try that game of yours again, Zeref?"

Tossing another snowball in his hand, Jack waited for the other boy's reaction. Slowly, a smile formed on Zeref's face and he rushed forward. Grinning, Jack threw his snowball at the boy, watching Zeref duck to dodge the attack. Laughing, he took off after his friend, leading him outside. From the shadows, he heard a slight growl, however, following after them as they moved outside. "Snap out of it, Grim! Remember what you told me, about your true destiny!" Pitch's voice shouted at Zeref, making the boy blink for a moment. However, Jack threw another snowball at him, just to make sure his magic stayed in place.

Watching him, the other Guardians shared a look before nodding and following after him. Closest to Jack was Sandy, frowning as he observed Zeref. Glancing towards him, Jack handed a snowball to the Sandman, grinning wildly. "Come on, join in. After all, it's a free for all!" With that, Jack sent his next snowball flying towards Bunny, an act of revenge for the Guardian's insults.

Glaring, Bunny waved a fist in the air at the flying winter spirit. However, before Bunny could retaliate, Zeref threw his own snowball in return. He was laughing, running in the snow and enjoying the winter weather of the North Pole. Other Guardians joined in, with North taking charge first. He looked almost as eager as Jack, chasing around the other Guardians with his snowballs as if it were a competition to win. Running away from him, Bunny tried to hide and return to the workshop, only for Tooth's fairies to join in, helping her pelt the other guardians with small, almost pellet-sized snowballs.

Laughing at the sight, Jack watched as Sandy used his whips to create numerous snowballs at once. Each ball went flying at rapid speeds, flying towards numerous targets at once. One of them even hit Jack, making him grin and fly down lower to get his revenge. A wet ball of snow formed in his hands, and quickly, he launched it at the back of Sandy's head. As it collided, Sandy smiled and gave him a thumbs up, before returning his focus to the game.

With everyone joining in, Jack flew down and landed next to Zeref. The boy seemed to be losing his momentum, his pace slowing with every snowball. This spell never lasted long on Zeref, not when his depression always came back in to ruin the fun. "Jack…I'm sorry." His words were quiet, his most recent snowball falling from his grip and landing on the ground.

Reaching out, Jack grabbed his arm, frowning and standing by his side. "I don't understand…I mean, I don't really know these guys either, but I do know what Pitch did to you before. Why side with him? Why wouldn't you just…try and get away from all of this?" It didn't make sense. The isolation was working. No one had died last year, at least, Jack hadn't heard about any more deaths. This sudden change made no sense.

With his eyes on the ground, Zeref almost looked weak and vulnerable in the winter weather. "I cannot control this power, Jack…not unless I embrace what I truly represent. And by doing that…" He trailed off, glancing up at the sky instead. "I forsake the value of life entirely. I cannot be your friend, if I wish to have control."

Stumbling back slightly, Jack began to shake his head. " _No._ I won't let you do that, Zeref. You love life…you protect it as much as you can. I know who you are…and if you go down this path, you'll never forgive yourself." Seeing it doing nothing, Jack tried to make him see reason. "I'm not kidding, Zeref. You doing this is like…it's like me giving up snowball fights. Can you seriously see me doing that willingly? This is what Pitch wants…don't give in to him, Zeref."

Glancing towards him, Zeref seemed to smile darkly. "I've already given him the key…the key to transforming dreams into nightmares. Determining how to manipulate the sand was simple for one already so immersed in darkness…so, while I still have this shred of my former self left, I will make one request of you, my old friend." His head tilted slightly, and there was no light in his eyes. They were empty black holes, swallowing Jack's gaze entirely. "Please…stop me. Don't let me become this monster…only you understand me well enough to know what must be done. I cannot say if it is possible or not…but the only way to end the world's suffering…would be if I were to perish myself. Jack Frost, I ask that you kill me…before I finalize my plans to kill the world."

Stepping forward, Jack felt his jaw clench. The wind around him blew more heavily in response to his anger, creating more snow around them in the North Pole. Behind them, the snowball fight seemed to halt, and the Guardians turned to stare at the confrontation between the winter spirit and Grim Reaper. "Like I'd ever do that! What would Natsu want you to do, Zeref? Have you forgotten about that kid you stalked for years?"

Staring directly into his eyes, Zeref's expression turned blank. It was almost more disturbing than his red eyes had been, seeing this emptiness in him. "His desires no longer matter. Much like the rest of Burgess, he is dead. Such is the result of anyone who ends up too close to me…and such will be your fate, should you insist on being my friend." Backing away, Zeref took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. "Thank you…for allowing me to smile one last time. You will not be forgotten, Jack Frost." When his eyes reopened, the red had entered his irises again, burning back at Jack. "In fact, if you wish to truly battle with me…you may find me on Grim's Hollow. I've relocated it recently, to the place formerly known as Tenrou Island. Isolated, away from society…the perfect place for death to grow and eat away at everything in this world."

With a growing smile, Zeref chuckled slightly and shook his head. Staring with wide eyes, Jack took a step back, his grip tightening on his staff. "I don't care what you say…I'm going to find you and figure out how to help you, Zeref. This isn't over."

Lifting an eyebrow, Zeref's chuckle ended and he tilted his head. "Is that so? I find it hard to believe that anyone, even you, can overcome the barrier of death and allow life to continue on. After all, isn't death the end for all things?" Clenching his teeth together, Jack glanced away. Behind him, the other Guardians seemed to be trying to watch, but the growing snowstorm blocked their view. Jack's own emotional state was getting out of hand. He could feel his magic reacting to it, making the snow swirl around harshly in the air.

When he didn't respond, Zeref turned around, moving to leave. Appearing from the shadows, Pitch rose to stand by his side. "You should learn your place, winter spirit. Without a healthy dose of fear, you will never understand your place in this world." With that, Pitch and Zeref vanished from sight, leaving the North Pole just as suddenly as they had arrived.

The wind billowed behind Jack, sending more snow flying around and pushing his hoodie up against his back. Snow began to fall even heavier, coating everything in a white flurry. Standing in it all, Jack gripped his staff with both hands and went charging forward towards nothing. He just didn't understand what had happened. This wasn't the friend he knew, not in any situation. With a rough shout into the air, Jack let loose a blast of ice into the wind. A blowing path of white ice shot from his staff, attacking the air before falling to the ground. Breathing heavily, Jack stared at it for a moment before turning, deciding that maybe this was a way to get rid of this dark feeling. If Zeref's magic was out of control, Jack should at least try and relate to him in some way.

With another growl, he shot forth a blast of ice at the frozen wasteland he stood in. This time, it grew, creating a spiky, crystalline structure before him. Seeing it, he could already imagine it becoming dangerous, just like Zeref's power. Maybe if Zeref saw this, he wouldn't feel so alone. Heck, maybe he would see some sense and understand that there were people in the world who cared if he vanished like this. Jack knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he just stood by and did nothing while Zeref gave up on himself.

Dragging a hand through his hair, Jack took a few steps back, trying to take deep breaths to calm himself. Snow still spiraled restlessly in the air, but attacking nothing with his power wasn't really helping anything. As he backed away, Jack stumbled and found himself tripping over the snow, landing onto someone behind him. Glancing up, he saw the concerned gaze of North, catching him and helping him back to his feet. Looking away, Jack reached one hand up and tugged his hood over his head. He didn't want to be around these strangers anymore. None of them would understand that this whole mess was one big mistake. It was Jack's job to fix it, by making sure his friend finally managed to be happy and accept his gift.

He felt a hand pat his back, though he only scowled and glared at the ground. One hand ended up shoved in his pocket, feeling the softness of the fabric inside. "It's been a while since I've enjoyed such a game! You really are something special, Jack Frost." North's voice was calm and bright, but Jack didn't want to hear it.

Instead of responding, Jack shrugged off his hand and began moving forward. He didn't want these people to try and make everything better, because he knew it wasn't going to turn out like that. _Kill me._ Those words echoed in his head, making Jack swallow sharply. How long had Zeref felt like that? A request like that…from Zeref, it was given with a lot of forethought. The guy didn't do anything without carefully planning and analyzing the facts of any situation. Even training with magic, Zeref would constantly ask questions about the mechanics of certain spells, even though Jack could hardly give enough of a response to satisfy him. Apparently, telling Zeref his magic worked because he wanted something to happen wasn't enough.

Zeref had been broken from the start. Jack didn't doubt that fact. Even so, the guy had an odd aura about him that Jack couldn't help but admire. Despite his pain, he always looked after others. Despite the treatment he received because of what he was, Zeref always tried to protect life. There was a strength in him that Jack couldn't begin to comprehend, and while he wasn't one to focus on hard work, he did know how to admire someone who did. However, it seemed like this mistake had finally pushed Zeref over the edge. Even his strength had its limits, and now that he had lost everything, it would take a lot of work to bring the old Zeref back.

Without another word, Jack took off into the sky. If he wanted to help Zeref, the first thing he had to know was exactly what had happened in Burgess. Imagining what it looked like made him feel mildly queazy, but he pushed down the feeling. With his hand on his stomach, he shook his head and pushed on into the bitter cold winds, heading back towards the town he had come from. Behind him, he could hear shouts from the Guardians, but he wasn't in the mood to join their little club. He didn't even look back to see someone rising to join him in the sky, flying after him as he left. With wings of her own, Tooth apparently had decided he wasn't leaving so easily, not when he seemed to understand so much more about their most recent enemy and the new ally of Pitch Black.

 **Now the Guardians actually know about Zeref! Plus, he's kinda struggling a bit with himself still, and Jack has his own ideas on how to help the situation. Please review and tell me what you think!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Fairy Tail

Even from the sky, Jack's stomach dropped at the sight of Burgess. Most changes would be too subtle to be witnessed from a distance, but this one was obvious. Where there should have been a dark speck, surrounded by a forest of green, there stood only a blackened hole in the land. No color could be seen from the sky, and as Jack swooped down to land, his teeth clenched together tightly in a grimace. Landing in town, Jack gazed around at the town he had grown used to visiting on a yearly basis. The familiar homes still surrounded him, circling around dirt roads that surrounded fire pits in town. Lamps hung on the streets, waiting to be lit to illuminate the paths during the night. However, with the sun shining overhead, there was no use to them.

A slight wind rustled through the town, but not a single thing seemed to move. On the ground, Jack could see that the grass and weeds had died away. In their place was nothing bit dirt, where plants had decayed away into nothingness. Moving towards one of the homes, Jack hesitantly lifted his hand towards the door. Plants were usual for Zeref to kill. Jack had even been around the guy when it happened. However, there was one sure sign that something had gone terribly wrong, one that Jack was afraid to actually see.

Taking a deep breath, Jack pushed open the door. Stepping inside, Jack could see a rather plain house. Home-made wooden chairs sat in the first room, organized around a fireplace. The wood was still burning there, though with no wood to fuel the flames, it was almost completely smoldered down into ashes. Smoke rose from it, but Jack turned away with little interest in a dying fire. Instead, he moved towards the hallway. There, he passed by the wooden walls, hearing the floor creak underneath his bare feet. Doors lined the hall, but Jack guessed at random where to go.

Peering inside, Jack could see two forms lumped together on the bed. Cloth covered them from sight, a usual sign of people sleeping. However, with the bright sunlight outside, and Zeref's words in mind, Jack almost immediately slammed his eyes shut, turning his head away. They hadn't been moving. At least, he didn't think they were. Then again, people wouldn't move if they were actually asleep either. Inhaling deeply, Jack leaned his back against the doorframe, resting his head against his staff for a brief moment. This was for Zeref. If he kept that in mind, he would stay strong enough to actually see what was in this place.

With his blue eyes flashing back open, Jack slowly stepped into the room. Even if he did make a noise, he knew he couldn't exactly be caught anyway. He could have started shouting wake-up calls to these people and it would have no effect. However, he could at least pull back the covers and listen for their breathing. Light snores were common in people, he had learned, but even without that, breathing still created a small motion in them.

Lifting his staff, Jack used the top edge of it to nudge the blankets. If these people were dead, it felt kind of wrong to actually be bothering their bodies. Somehow, it just felt disrespectful, even for him. So, he would be quick and only use his staff to touch them. Keeping his distance, he eventually managed to hook the blankets on the edge of his staff. Using the tool, he dragged them down slightly, revealing a man and a woman. Normally, Jack wouldn't recognize the people in this town anymore. All of his time in Burgess was normally spent with Zeref, so he had lost track of the kids living here. However, the head of pink hair belonged to one child that had always managed to hold Zeref's interest. Resting by the side of a woman with blond hair was Natsu, motionless in an eternal sleep-like state.

Jack's mouth parted slightly, his eyes wide as he stared at them. Part of him wanted to run away, but at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to even look away from the sight. If he wanted to, he could have easily said they were asleep. Their expressions were so calm and peaceful, almost like they were having pleasant dreams. However, their skin had turned oddly pale, an unnatural tone in the daylight. On top of that, Jack couldn't even see the telltale signs of shoulders moving to reveal their breathing patterns. His head slowly began to shake, and without even thinking about it, he had taken a step back. Zeref hadn't been lying. Natsu was dead, and based on this sight, only Zeref's magic could have caused this.

Freed from whatever spell had kept him trapped inside, Jack spun around and began to run. If Natsu was gone, was the entire town really dead? Part of him knew it was the case, but he refused to believe it. All he had to do was find one sign of life, and then he could give Zeref hope. It didn't have to be a person, it just had to be a living thing. Feeling the air lift him into the ground, Jack picked up his speed by flying close to the ground. His gaze searched for any plant, shrub, or animal that could have possibly survived an outburst of the death magic Zeref had been given. Everywhere, however, Jack saw nothing but deadened ground and fallen bodies. His breathing was quickening with the sight of each body, and he felt colder every time he saw a spot where there should have been a plant decorating a yard.

Eventually, Jack stopped when he reached the very edge of town. Landing, Jack only stared with wide eyes towards what had once been the forest bordering town. Now, however, things had changed drastically. Instead of trees dotting the landscape sparsely, there was nothing but a black wasteland before him. Buildings simply stopped at this point, blocked by an invisible line. Dirt filled the ground, almost as if it had rained down like ash to the forest floor. In some spots, Jack could have sworn he saw the white bones of animals peering out from within the decay. He avoided focusing on them too hard, wanting to at least pretend something was alive in this place.

Swallowing, Jack slowed his pace and began walking into the once lively forest. This was where Zeref spent the last of his peaceful moments. His favorite spot had been in this forest, apparently where both Jack and Zeref had been given their powers. Maybe if he went to the lake, he'd find a place that had been spared. As he walked, snow began to fall, as if sensing his desire to see anything other than death. White began to mix with the black, creating a deadened winter wonderland. The snow hid away the death underneath, masking the true horror that had taken place.

With his feet making a path into the wastelands around him, Jack soon found himself standing on the shore of the lake he had been searching for. The water was still, motionless with the sunlight reflecting off of the surface. No noise was heard, not even the ruffling of leaves in the breeze. It was utter silence, with the lake itself mourning the death of its formerly leafy companions. Feeling his legs begin to shake, Jack barely noticed his weight caving in. He fell to his knees on the ground, kneeling before the lake and bending over to stare at his own reflection gazing back at him. Icy blue eyes stared back, along with an unfamiliar frown lining his face.

As he stared into the water, another figure came into view. The sight of a green and blue feathered flying woman made his frown deepen, even when she knelt on the ground by his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jack…what happened here?" Her voice was soft, but almost as horrified as Jack felt.

Keeping his gaze on the water, Jack placed his staff lengthwise on the ground. Both hands pressed it into the dirt, while he sat on his legs and hung his head low. "This is what I was trying to warn you about…but no one would listen. Heck, even I wouldn't listen when he tried to warn me…" Jack trailed off, biting his lip and stopping himself from talking. Zeref had feared his power, but Jack had always laughed it off and tried to distract him with games. "I did this. If I had tried harder…if I had just listened and tried to help him understand…none of this would have happened."

A gentle hand began rubbing his shoulder, but Jack leaned away, trying to make it stop. He didn't want Tooth's comfort, not when he deserved punishment. "No one can be blamed for this, Jack. Death is a natural part of life…but I don't think I've ever seen it on this scale before." Tooth glanced around, shaking her head before smiling weakly. "Look, why don't we head on back? The others have got to be worried about you too. You were so helpful before, telling us about Pitch and how he was in that area when we started losing believers. I'm certain you can tell us more, right?"

Closing his eyes, Jack focused on his own breathing instead. This was what Zeref used to do when he was upset. The guy would sit down, close his eyes, and try and empty his mind of all thoughts. Nothing but the sounds of the forest would occupy his time. At least, until Jack tried interrupting with another stupid game. Maybe that was his biggest fault. All he ever did was try and make games out of everyone's problems. In this case, maybe he should have looked for a solution, rather than a distraction.

When he opened his eyes again, he scowled harshly and slammed his hand down into the ground. Gazing down at his reflection of the water, Jack's scowl deepened. One hand lifted and splashed into the lake, throwing water around and creating ripples to distort his reflection, hiding it from view. "I already told you, this is my fault. Pitch didn't cause any of this."

Frowning, Tooth's violet eyes gazed around at the forest they sat in. "I don't understand. You said Pitch was in the area…" She trailed off, her gaze staring off in the distance towards Burgess. Slowly, her eyes widened and her hand lifted to cover her mouth, a slight gasp escaping her. "Oh no…the falling belief…this is the place it happened, isn't it? Everyone…all of the children, and even the adults and the plants…it just suddenly died. But that…" She trailed off, having no explanation for what she was coming to realize.

Rising to his feet, Jack nodded and swung his staff over his shoulder. "Yep, that's exactly what happened. My guess is that someone taunted Zeref into returning to town…last I heard, that was the last thing he wanted to do." Thinking about it, Jack could only think of one person that would even be able to convince Zeref to return. "Pitch said it best when he first met both of us…his greatest fear was always himself. Right now…" Thinking about how Zeref was acting, Jack couldn't help but frown, stopping for a moment. "I think he's trying to embrace his fear. Maybe he thinks that things just can't get worse, if he becomes the person he's been so terrified of being the last few decades."

Hearing him, Tooth's head snapped up, her hand falling to her side. "Wait…are you trying to say one person did all of this? Jack, there isn't a single spirit alive that has this kind of power." Hugging herself tightly, Tooth seemed to shudder once more at the sight of all the death. Now, it was looking mildly better, with a dusting of snow hiding the worst of the decay. "No one can handle this kind of responsibility. It would tear someone apart…that's why we're only given small abilities, and small domains to protect. We all have our limits, and overseeing something as dark as this…I can't imagine anyone capable of doing that without going insane."

Turning towards her, Jack narrowed his eyes. "If you didn't know about me, then you definitely don't know about him. I may not understand much about all of these rules after being chosen…but I do know that Zeref and I were given our powers at the same time. I met him right after…in this town, actually. He stuck around to watch this place grow, while I took off to try and figure out what my life was supposed to be. Eventually, I came back…and things were still pretty normal. Zeref was in the area, and we met up. Together, we tried to figure out exactly what we were…and I tried to help explain to him how these powers worked."

Glancing down at his hands, Jack wondered if that was where he had went wrong. Maybe if he hadn't tried, Zeref wouldn't have figured out he had magic in the first place. That would have been better. "I'm not much of a teacher, but it was kinda fun. I got to play a lot of games with him, starting snowball fights to make him uncomfortable enough to draw on magic to dodge…trying to answer questions that really didn't make much sense to me. He'd always make the strangest comments at times…and while he didn't really laugh, I can still remember him smiling on occasion at my jokes." In a way, a lot of that time was spent with Jack doing most of the talking, while Zeref only listened in quiet contemplation.

Tooth sat down to listen as Jack spoke, watching him closely. "Something changed in him, after Pitch came to town. I don't know what it was…but Pitch forced Zeref to admit that his greatest fear was himself. In a way, I could kind of see it. He always kept his distance from others, and he seemed to have this…mood about him. It's kinda hard to describe…but Zeref really didn't seem to enjoy life that often. That's part of why I made it my goal to give him a good time every once in a while. A guy like him needed a friend, and there was no way I was just going to sit back and leave him all alone like I was." Technically, he still was alone, Jack noted with a bitter smile.

"To be honest, I wonder if that's when he discovered exactly what his power did. He never really talked with me much about it…after he lost control of it once, it kinda became a forbidden subject between us. We decided just to ignore it…because as long as we didn't think about it, we could pretend he was just a normal guy." Tooth was watching him with sad eyes, clearly recalling her words from before. "Zeref couldn't control this power. His greatest fear was of himself…of losing control and hurting the few people he cared about. From the looks of things here…I'd say Pitch pushed him again, and with his fear strengthened, he lost control. Now, he seems to think he can escape that fear by becoming the very thing he is afraid of. He's playing out this role he thinks he belongs in…but no one was there to tell him he was wrong."

Rising to her feet, Tooth approached Jack slowly. Her hand touched his shoulder, her violet eyes probing his closely. "You really care about him, don't you?" Jack nodded, feeling his jaw twitch slightly as he clenched his teeth together. "He's lucky to have you. Even if I don't know you that well, I can already see that you are loyal to your friends. I've never been able to put aside my job long enough to really talk to others and make relationships like that." She gave him a rueful smile, with her mini fairies fluttering by her sides. "If you really think he can be saved, Jack, then let us help you. As Guardians, it is our job to protect children from all threats…even the threat of death. If you just run away, we'll have no choice but to treat him like Pitch…to attack on sight the next time he comes. However…with you, we stand a chance of talking to him. What you did back at North's…I've never seen anything like it. You made your friend smile again, when all he wanted to do was destroy. You brought us together, letting enemies enjoy a simple game together for a single moment. Don't underestimate your power, Jack. If you want to help Zeref, then we'll need that strength to help him see our side too."

He wanted to believe she was right. Part of him knew that Zeref had already been changing before this. _Kill me._ The plea entered Jack's thoughts once more, making him flinch slightly. Staring at his staff, Jack wondered if it even was possible to grant his wish. Slamming his eyes shut, Jack pressed a hand to his hair and shook his head. He was insane to even consider following Zeref's request. Instead, he turned back towards Tooth, taking a deep breath and trying for a small smile. "Right…look, there's one thing you should probably know then. Zeref…back during our snowball fight, he tried to talk to me." Rubbing the back of his head, Jack turned up to stare at the sky. "He knows something is wrong with him…in fact, he's terrified of what he's becoming. He told me…no, ordered me, to kill him. I don't know what he went through before he became like this…but whatever it is, he can't seem to let go of it and focus on the bright side of life."

Looking thoughtful, Tooth slowly began to nod. "He has a troubled past…what was Manny thinking with him?" Frowning at the name, Jack lifted an eyebrow at her. However, Tooth didn't elaborate and simply sighed, shaking her head. Giving Jack a smile, she held her hand out towards him, hovering a little higher in the sky. "Well, either way, I'd say we've got our work cut out for us. So, will you help us Guardians save your friend?"

Staring at her hand, Jack slowly began to smirk at the Guardian of Memories. Reaching out, he grasped her small hand in his own, feeling the wind lift him into the air by her side. "For Zeref, I'm in. Let's get going, I've got a bit of training to do if I'm going to figure out a way to counter Zeref's death magic." Tooth's eyes widened, startled at his words, but Jack only laughed at her expression. Oddly, the dark mood that had hung over him was slowly beginning to fade away as he flew higher into the sky. There had to be hope for saving Zeref. Now, he even had help to do it. Maybe Burgess was lost, but people would return and rebuild it in the future. Until then, he just had to focus on protecting the few friends he found, and find ways to have fun with the life he had been given.

 **Jack has discovered what Zeref has done, but of course he still wants to help his friend. I do hope you enjoyed, despite the darker theme in this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Back at the North Pole, Jack expected someone to be angry with him. At the very least, he expected some kind of snark from Bunny. However, all he saw was a proud smile from North who nodded his head when Jack walked into the workshop. Sitting near the fireplace, Bunny and Sandy seemed to be actually holding some kind of conversation. The golden man would smile and animatedly gesture while images formed above his head. Then, Bunny would reply with some comment, though Jack was still clueless about what Sandy's messages really meant.

Shaking his head at them, Jack swung his staff over his shoulder and focused on North instead. "You found him! Ah, it is good to have you back, Jack." With a grin, North stepped forward and clasped his arms. "Now, I know things may seem troubling now, but we've got this taken care of, no? Did I not tell you what we Guardians are here to do?"

Rolling his eyes, Jack pulled away and began tapping the tip of his staff against the floor. Frost trailed after it, making him smile at the swirls formed on the ground. "Yeah, and exactly how does that reassure me? Protecting children is a far stretch from protecting an abandoned spirit like myself." Glancing over his shoulder, Jack stopped for a moment and swung his staff over his shoulder. "Zeref isn't done, you know. Maybe the first outburst was an accident but now…" Remembering Zeref's words made him pause, his smile faltering slightly. Sighing, Jack shook his head and focused back on North's face. "He wants us to stop him, _before_ he gets any worse. At least, the version of him that is still my friend does."

This dark side of Zeref probably didn't care about him at all, the more Jack thought about it. Maybe an odd interest still lingered, but beyond that, he was nothing to this more empowered version of his friend. Rising to his feet and joining them, Bunny frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "So, it isn't Pitch? What the heck happened to the believers then, mate? Those lights don't just go out for no reason."

Avoiding his gaze, Jack found his eyes staring over towards Tooth. She fidgeted under his watchful eyes, looking towards her hands that she had clasped in front of her. "They're…Jack and I, we went to…" Tooth trailed off, biting her lip and lifting her hands closer to her face. Her wide eyes looked moist, like there were tears building in her violet gaze. "I still can't believe it." With a resigned sigh, she stared towards the main workshop, not really looking at anything in particular. "All of that town, everyone, the children and the adults…they've all just…died."

Feeling something bump into his arm, Jack jumped back slightly. Sandy had finally joined once more, making a circle out of their group with a frown. The image of a skull appeared over his head once more, followed by Zeref's face. Pressing his hands to his chest, Sandy let his head fall slightly and he shook his head. A few moments of silence filled the room as the others tried to interpret his actions, but Jack reached down and touched his shoulder gently, for once understanding this Guardian.

With a slight smile, he nodded. "Don't worry, we'll get him back. I know this isn't like the Zeref we knew, but if anyone can figure out how to stop this…it'll be us. No one knows him like I do, and even if Burgess is gone…there's always other places to go and have fun, right?"

Patting his hand, Sandy smiled and seemed to let out a silent sigh. "Well, I'll be damned. Just how in the world did you even meet this bloke, Sandy? I mean, it's not like we all have time to run around meeting every spirit Manny chooses to join our ranks." Bunny moved closer, while Sandy shrugged slightly.

Nudging him, Jack smirked slightly and waited for his answer. An image of Zeref appeared once more, followed by a cluster of trees above his head. That faded away, with Sandy smiling and throwing streams of dream sand into the air, taking no real form. After that, he pointed to himself, and then up to the sky. "So, you were giving dreams to children when you spotted the guy in a forest? What the heck was he doing in a place like that?" Bunny crossed his arms over his chest, snorting and shaking his head.

Dropping his eyes to the ground, the image of the trees reappeared for a moment. This time, as it vanished they seemed to be blown away by air. Afterwords, the image of the skull appeared, with Sandy's troubled frown gazing back at them. Next, he made a slight running motion, and pressed a hand to his chest and shook his head.

Sighing, Jack crouched down and focused his gaze on the wooden floor. "Sounds like him, Sandy. Zeref did his best to hide everything going on with him…but that doesn't mean I was too blind to see how afraid he was of that power."

Patting his shoulder this time, Sandy nodded and focused back on the others. "This does not sound good. If he is afraid of powers…he is rejecting his gift." North stroked his beard, beginning to pace around the room slightly.

"Rejecting his gift? What's that supposed to mean?" Following after him, Jack flew into the air to catch up for a moment, landing just behind the Guardian of Wonder.

Stopping, North turned towards him and sighed. "Much like all of us, that man was chosen for his gifts. I may not know what was seen in him, but there is always, even in spirits not selected for our ranks, always something important inside that drives all spirits. It is our job to protect these things…to ensure that along with our strongest centers, theirs do not fade away as well." Frowning, Jack stayed silent, wondering what the heck this guy meant by having a 'center'.

Shaking his head, North let his arms cross over his chest. "By abandoning his power…he has forsaken his true self. Not only will his power rebel against him to try and force his focus to return…it will also remain beyond his control until he discovers exactly who it is he is meant to be."

Flying over him to stare him in the face, Jack landed and spun around, holding his hands out. "Hold up a second! Zeref already figured out a way to control all of it…well, sorta. He just isn't himself to do it."

"Jack, that can't be right. All spirits lose control after abandoning their center. Even your friend would do the same." Tooth's calm voice spoke out, and she flew slightly closer to where North and Jack had wandered to.

Clutching his staff by his side, Jack let his blue eyes slide down to stare at that instead of them. "Center, huh? So…Zeref just needs to focus on something inside of him, something that makes him who he is?" North nodded, looking grave as Jack frowned. What had changed since he last saw Zeref? What about this new version of him made him closer to who he really was? It wasn't like he had much to go off of, based on a single discussion with the guy.

Essentially, from what Jack could tell, he was purposefully becoming a monster before his magic could force him into that place. Zeref had decided he wanted to kill. With that, it didn't necessarily mean he had control, though. It just meant he wasn't feeling guilty over his actions anymore. "I think we should just get rid of this rascal now, North. Clearly, he doesn't even know his friend well enough to help us figure this out. It's up to us to stop this maniac from killing more children…before it's too late."

Scowling at him, Jack lifted his staff slightly, stepping forward with a glare. "Hey! I know my friend, and I'm not leaving. Tooth was the one who brought me back. She said you needed _me_ to save Zeref, and that's exactly what I'm sticking around for. Don't go starting your 'exclusive club' nonsense just because you can't admit when you need help, Kangaroo."

Flying above the others into the workshop, Jack only laughed at Bunny's shouted response. "I told you, I am _not_ a kangaroo, mate!" Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Bunny staring around at the others with wide eyes, as if looking for support. "Seriously, you guys heard me, right?"

Instead of waiting for more replies, Jack found himself standing back before the massive glob. Twinkling lights still glittered on the surface, shining for every believer in the world. Maybe one of them would be his, one day. Smiling at the thought, Jack stepped closer and pressed his palm to the surface. "Who are you, Zeref? Please…just this once, I need to have an answer from you." Closing his eyes, Jack thought back to every moment with his friend. Every frown, every small chuckle, and even the small smiles he tried to hide from the world, what did it all add up to?

Blinking, Jack took a slow step away from the globe, staring down at his feet. In Zeref's own words, he was a bringer of death, who hated his gift because he thought all lives were precious. "That's it…that's what he hasn't figured out yet…" Jack's eyes slowly widened, and a grin began to form on his face. Behind him, the other Guardians seemed to slowly be crowding into the room, watching him carefully. However, a brief moment of exhilaration filled Jack as he finally determined what had held his friend back for all these years. With a slight shout, he leapt into the air, flipping and spinning around before landing at the top of the globe. "I figured it out! Ha, looks like I know you better than you know yourself, Zeref."

The others stared at him for a moment, while North shook his head. "How many times do I have to tell you? Globe is not a toy, Jack Frost." Tapping his foot impatiently, he seemed to wait for the winter spirit to return to the ground. Rolling his eyes, he acquiesced and landed next to them, swinging his staff upright and pressing the wood to his cheek.

Next to him, Sandy seemed to frown. He pressed a hand to his chest, before showing Jack Zeref, followed by a question mark. Seeing the figures, Jack grinned and swung his staff over both shoulders, locking it behind his neck tightly. "Oh, that? Zeref's center…I think it is supposed to be death. Kinda creepy, I know, but just hear me out on this one." Tooth had flinched at his comment, and he didn't want the others rushing off to harm his friend just because of what he was meant to be.

"All of this time, every time I spoke with him about anything, the guy was just incredibly serious and morbid about everything. He'd bring up the inevitable death of all things…he'd talk about endless cycles and more stuff that just went over my head, to be honest." A lot of those conversations had been tuned out, Jack admitted to himself. He really didn't want to think about something as dark as death all the time. "One time, though…I remember him telling me something that kinda fits what you were explaining before. After he figured out what his magic actually did…he told me how much he hated it. He understood the necessity of death, sure, but he didn't value it in high regard. No…Zeref chose to focus on how awful it was to be stealing away _life_ instead. Essentially…he's trying to focus on the complete opposite of what he was meant to be, and that is what is clashing with his magic."

North walked closer, patting his shoulder with a wide smile. Nodding, he squeezed Jack's shoulder slightly before releasing the winter spirit. "Good work. So, do you think your friend truly has gained control over his power now? Or is he still rejecting that which makes him who he is?"

Thinking back to the version of Zeref he had seen today, Jack frowned. He didn't like imagining his friend like that, dark and working with a man who sought to bring fear to the world. However, Zeref had also stated that he had let go of desiring to protect life. Still, that didn't mean he had grown to value death in return. He was just…neutral to the idea of killing now. "More than before…but no, I don't think he's fully realized the truth yet. Considering what his magic does…I wonder if it would let him just accept both sides of his power. If he could just see that both life and death are important in the world…I think then he would be at the place he needs to be to start truly understanding the gift he was given."

"Wait, would that even work?" Tooth fluttered around nervously, glancing towards North with a frown. "I mean, life and death are opposites. So shouldn't he have to abandon one to focus on the other?"

Stroking his beard, North leaned back thoughtfully. Glancing around, he smiled and shook his head. "No…in this case, I think Jack is right. So long as he does not reject that which he was meant to be…he can hold other values and beliefs in his heart. Are you telling me that we, as Guardians, do not hold layers of personality within us? Tooth, are you nothing but your memories? Do you not forget the past on occasion?"

Blinking, Tooth rubbed her arm and glanced away, smiling sheepishly. "Well…maybe sometimes. But, that isn't nearly as extreme as this case."

Snorting, Bunny crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I couldn't care less how extreme it was. I say we just find that idiot and show him who's boss. He's ruined my time off, now that Easter's over, and I'm sick of letting this guy act like he owns the world. Who cares if he chooses to value life or not? I just want the guy to see that he can't go around killing everyone he comes across."

As if in unison with his words, they all watched as another section of the globe went dark. Lights vanished in an instant, dying as lives were stolen away in some remote city, far away from any continent. Gazing at the area, Jack thought it looked like it was somewhere in the Caribbean, and his mind went back to the location Zeref promised to be in. Apparently, it hadn't been as abandoned as Zeref had first thought. "Tenrou Island…the place Zeref decided to call Grim's Hollow." Jack grimaced at the name, disliking the darkness of it.

"What an odd choice of name. Still, it is where we must be going. Everyone, to the sleigh!"

"Uh, I think my tunnels would be faster, mate." Bunny's comment made North chuckle, patting his belly slightly with a shake of his head.

"No time for questions, Bunny. Besides," Glancing towards Jack, North seemed to grin slightly. "We have company, and everyone loves the sleigh."

Groaning, Bunny shook his head and began grumbling under his breath. "Bloody show pony…next time, we're doing things my way, you hear?"

Laughing once more, North took off, rushing towards a door. When he pulled it open, Jack's eyes widened at the sight of an icy tunnel inside. Snow covered the smooth frozen walls, curving around and leaving a wide path for the massive wooden sleigh that was just a little further down. Reindeer were attached to the vehicle, restlessly pawing at the ground as North ran to grab the reins, jumping inside with a grin. He turned back towards Jack with a wink, and the winter spirit grinned and ran over quickly, jumping inside as the other Guardians followed suit. With everyone inside and with a quick snap of the reins, the sleigh took off. In North's hand, a bright snow globe was being swirled around, the colors shifting and changing as the snow spun inside. "Grim's Hollow." With that whisper, he threw the orb in front of them, taking off into the sudden spiraling kaleidoscope of color that appeared as a result. The portal took them away from the north pole, and Jack's smile faded as he stared at the island they flew over. It was time to see Zeref again, but he wasn't so certain he'd be able to accomplish what he set out to do. Hopefully, it wasn't too late to show the guy that there was a different path for him to take, one that might at least help him find a way to cope with the power he had been given.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of ROTG or FT

Landing on the ground, Jack gazed at the lively forest of the island. Surprisingly, it wasn't as deadened as he had expected it to be when Zeref said he'd be living here. In fact, it was quite alive and vibrant with color. Jack watched as a trio of squirrels fled from the approaching Guardians, running up a nearby tree to hide away. Birds chirped overhead, and the wind rustled the leaves around them, giving the entire environment a far more natural feel than any place Jack had visited before.

"So…a guy that kills everything around him is living in this place?" Bunny sniffed the air, frowning as he glanced around the island. "Makes no sense if you ask me. I was expecting something darker than this, mate."

Tooth glared at him, shushing him quickly before glancing at Jack with wide eyes. However, the winter spirit was already moving forward, seeing vivid colors in the leaves of the trees above him and in the plant life on the ground. Shrubs, flowers, and grass seemed wild and untamed, as if nothing existed on this island but nature. "Don't forget that you're talking about Jack's friend…"

Hearing Tooth, Jack shrugged and turned around, tossing his staff over his shoulders. "Nah, it's cool. Zeref…doesn't always kill everything around him." Though, the sudden loss of lights on the globe said something here had died. Maybe there was a town further inland, but Jack couldn't see signs of that death yet. "He actually liked places like this. He said they were peaceful and quiet…a good place to think." That was what he had said about the lake, at least. This place was a much livelier version of that place, but still containing natural wonders away from people who made more noise than other animals.

"Hmm…odd, that someone so close to death finds joy in life." North glanced around, smiling and shaking his head. "Good start, I suppose, to beginning his new grasp on controlling his power. Death is center, but not all that he is."

Nodding, Sandy smiled and pointed in between the trees. He was smiling brightly, and where his finger was pointing towards, Jack saw a vibrant orange butterfly flying along, landing on a tree trunk to rest. Moving closer to the delicate creature, Sandy held out his hand, smiling as the butterfly took off again, away from him and deeper into the forest. He watched it leave, dropping his hand to his side and shrugging as he turned back towards the others.

"Never took you for a nature lover, mate." Bunny moved towards Sandy's side, shaking his head. "Then again, I can't say we've ever had a task that brought all of us to a place like this. I'd say it might even be livelier than my Warren."

"And more colorful than the Tooth Palace." Glancing around, Tooth's eyes were just as wide as theirs. "Your friend really knows how to pick a home. Really…any place like this is just…amazing. Even Sandy agrees, Jack."

Nodding, Jack let the wind pick him up, carrying him ahead of the others. Right now, it was amazing. Life of all kinds seemed to thrive here, and it was almost untouched by mankind based on what he could see. Considering what he knew of Zeref, this place was perfect for the isolated guy. It was quiet and he'd be left alone, but at the same time, there was so much around that could so easily be lost. "Yeah, it is." He didn't say much else, not wanting to alert them to his concerns. These guys had no idea who Zeref was, after all. Sandy might have met him once, but that was nothing compared to the decades Jack had spent getting to know the other spirit.

"Bah, you know nothing of good home. Where's the snow? The ice to reflect light in the most unique ways?" North shook his head, sighing as he gazed around him. "It is much too warm, and the colors are too distracting for work."

"This…coming from the Guardian of Wonder?" Jack glanced over at him, chuckling and shaking his head. "I figured you'd be thrilled about a place like this. Seeing colors like this would be pretty inspiring for toys, I thought."

Shaking his head, North sighed. "Perhaps, yet do you see children playing? What out here would interest them? Sticks? Fake sword fights? I can make those toys without places like this. No, much safer and better to stay indoors, by a warm fireplace with a tray full of cookies—"

"And that explains why you're in the North Pole." Jack smiled, shaking his head. "Along with how little you know about kids. They love stuff like this, going on adventures and playing outside. Maybe it isn't the kind of thing you try and inspire…but out here, imagination makes the games for you, and you'd be surprised at how much fun you can have."

"Yet not with toys!" North shook his head, and Jack shrugged, having to give him that much. "Besides, that is not the point here. We are looking for Grim, are we not? Where would you think him to be, Jack?"

He was already moving, though, while they spoke. Jack could hear running water somewhere, likely a stream or river nearby as he hopped over tree roots and shrubs growing on the forest floor. Sure, he could fly over them, but it was more fun to try and make a game out of walking around. He kept watch over their surroundings, smiling as he picked up his pace and glanced towards the others. "Want to see who can find him first? I bet I—"

"Not a good idea, mate." Bunny shook his head, sighing. "You said it yourself. Grim isn't this old friend you knew before, and that means you'll need back-up. With the belief falling and children in danger, finding him is our responsibility. We brought you along because you said you could help, but if you are just going to turn this into some stupid game, we'll do it without you."

"Bunny!" Tooth glared at him, while Sandy glanced between them, frowning and shaking his head.

"And if you're just going to demand that I work, I might as well go off and do what I want." Jack glared at Bunny in return, ignoring Tooth and pushing her aside to approach the Guardian of Hope. "We aren't friends, and I don't need you to save the one person who has actually been there for me all this time. As you keep so adamantly saying…I'm not a Guardian. All I am is a winter spirit, and that means I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. If that means finding Zeref without you and helping him my way, then I will."

"Guys, this won't help anyone. We need to work together—"

"Then let us do our work like we should!" Bunny didn't let Tooth even try to calm things down. "All you're doing is distracting us, talking about the trees and island when we should be focused on saving lives. How long before he kills again, mate? And you just want to talk it out like old pals? This power he has…it can't be trusted, just like we can't trust some outsider spirit like you."

"Bunny." North spoke, his tone changing to be dark and threatening. "Enough. We agreed to work with Jack on this, and we don't jump to conclusions about spirits we've yet to meet. Manny chooses all of us for his own reasons. This one is no different than how the rest of us started as well. Just take Sandy for instance. Did you trust him the moment he gained his power?"

Smiling, Sandy nodded encouragingly as Bunny crossed his arms over his chest, looking away. "Well…that's not the point—"

"But it is." North patted Jack's shoulder, smiling at the young spirit. "Jack and Grim are both new to our world. They do not understand our ways, or what we as Guardians do, but they have something inside of them that made Manny want to believe in them. If Manny believes in them…we should do the same."

Grumbling, Bunny shook his head and waved him off. "Don't go blaming me when the rascals destroy everything we've worked towards, then. I warned you about this…about what kind of dangers that dark power could bring."

Sandy smiled, shrugging and moving towards Bunny. Above his head, he showed the common image of a skull that Jack was growing to interpret as Zeref's magic. It flashed away, turning into what looked like a teardrop, and then a group of people standing together, children and adults alike. His sand shifted, showing the adults fading away, and leaving only the children behind. Patting Bunny's hand, Sandy's smile seemed to have faded slightly, looking almost sad as he gazed into Bunny's eyes.

Meeting his gaze, Bunny sighed as his ears drooped faintly. "That…you really think he's there to help deal with something like that?"

"Like what?" Jack frowned at them, while Bunny looked away, towards the trees around them.

"Like grief." Tooth spoke for him, flying towards Jack's side. "Children…we don't like to admit it or face it, but they lose people close to them more often than we'd like to admit. Zeref, being so close to death…he could help the children move on from that, if he uses his power in the right way. He could show them that death isn't always a bad thing…"

"That it's just a part of life, like everything else." Jack finished for her, speaking quietly. That had been a lot of what Zeref said so often, the entire lesson he tried to impart on anyone he talked to. It wasn't a pleasant task, but if Zeref knew he could help, Jack was certain the guy would want to do so. "Come on. We've got to find him."

No one spoke, seeing the shift in Jack's mood very quickly. He was quiet, lost in thought and frowning as he considered what to even say to Zeref. What would get through to him like that? He had never been the kind of person able to have a serious conversation. Every time, Jack turned them into some kind of joke, writing them off with distractions and laughter. Yet, this wasn't the time for that. He could see that clearly now, realizing that maybe he had turned too many of Zeref's problems into games instead.

Starting a serious conversation was not his forte. Zeref might have been able to do it, but Jack had a feeling that the guy wouldn't be in the mood to talk. If Pitch was here, it'd be even worse. Yet, Jack had to be the one to do this. Sandy might be able to help, but unlike what the Guardians said, this was Jack's responsibility. Zeref was his friend, the one that was chosen side by side with him at that lake. Jack had been the one running away, every time Zeref tried to reach out towards him for help. Jack had been the one afraid of talking about his problems, afraid of what acknowledging them might mean for both of them. Really, if Jack had just taken the time to have a single real conversation with Zeref…maybe he could have stopped all of this.

Glancing towards the others, Jack stopped as soon as he saw the liveliness of the forest end abruptly, in favor of a darkened landscape that now was growing to be familiar to Jack. "Hey…do me a favor. If Pitch is there…focus on him, and leave Zeref to me."

"But Jack, Zeref's magic…he could kill—"

"I'm immortal too, alright?" Jack turned towards them, giving them a weak half-smile. "Plus…it divides us up where we're strongest. Strategy, right?" He let out a humorless laugh, running a hand through his hair. "I know Zeref better than the four of you…and you four said you've dealt with Pitch before. I'd say that given who we have, and my own ignorance of the actual importance of stopping him…that puts our motivations in line with who we're up against, and keeps us placed in the strongest position."

Talking like this wasn't like him. Jack knew that much. Yet, he could see the Guardians watching him closely, analyzing his words carefully. Sandy nodded at him, smiling faintly and giving him a thumbs up. Bunny looked suspicious, narrowing his eyes before sighing and shaking his head. "As much as I hate to admit it…this idiot actually has had a good idea for once. Pitch is our problem, and these two have just gotten dragged into our mess. If he wants to get himself killed facing Grim alone, I say let him. It's not like we won't be able to deal with Pitch's ally later if we need to."

It was a dark thought, but Jack knew it actually was a possibility. Could Zeref's power overcome the gifts he'd been given? Glancing down at his staff, Jack realized he didn't have an answer. He just hoped he was right that his magic could overcome that, if needed. As the others began nodding in agreement, still looking concerned as they focused on Jack, the winter spirit lifted his gaze, staring into the deadened landscape that lay ahead. "Then let's go. I've got someone to talk to, and you've got an enemy to face." With that, he let the air lift him upward, carrying him deeper into the island. He would find Zeref, and this time, he would answer the man's questions better than he ever had. It was time he stopped playing games for a change, and started really asking questions about what had happened, just like Zeref had always done. Together, they'd find their answers, just like they'd agreed to do so long ago when they first awoke, lost as to who they were and what they were meant to do.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Rise of the Guardians

Jack knew he'd find Zeref at the center of the sea of death. Really, it was like Zeref was trying to call for his attention, making this section of the island a beacon for his location. Flying through the deadened landscape, Jack sped up as he got deeper inside. He saw a few buildings on occasion, showing that this actually was the only region of the island that had been inhabited. Strangely, they were built from stone it seemed, some of them looking like temples and others like homes at a glance. These people really had been isolated from the outside world, before Zeref arrived.

"Damn…so there really were people here after all." Bunny glanced at the buildings, racing along the ground behind Jack.

Sandy frowned, a cloud of golden sand carrying him forward as well. North was riding one of his reindeer, apparently cut loose from the sleigh before racing to catch up to the others. "But this will be the last place to fall to him. We will stop him here, no matter what it takes."

"For the children." Tooth emphasized his words, flying by the sides of her companions. "And to stop Pitch. Who knows what he'd do with power like that by his side?"

"Remember…leave Zeref to me. You guys deal with Pitch." Jack glanced back at them, watching them nod.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. Splitting them up is a good idea, mate, but I still don't like the thought of leaving just one person to face off against a monster like this alone."

Smirking, Jack glanced back towards Bunny. "Aww, are you starting to care a bit about me, Kangaroo? How sweet." He chuckled, before realizing he was making a joke of this again. With his smile fading, Jack sighed and shook his head. "Then again…you might be right. Even I can't say what Zeref's magic will do to me, but I have to try."

"We'll do our best to help him, Jack. We'll keep Pitch out of your way…so that the person who knows him best can try and reach the real Grim inside."

Nodding towards Tooth, Jack smiled weakly in response to her. They went the rest of the way in silence, before Jack paused at a nearby sound. He landed, glancing around with a frown to try and spot the source of the faint crunching of leaves he had heard. The other Guardians stopped with him, circling around each other in an odd formation that seemed almost instinctive from them. Jack wondered idly how many battles they had fought together, if it was normal for them to react so swiftly to any sign of approaching danger. North had his swords drawn, Sandy had created whips of golden sand, and Bunny seemed to have pulled out his own boomerangs, only furthering Jack's belief that that guardian really was a kangaroo.

"Well, look what we have here." A familiar voice spoke from the shadows, with light shifting around the already darkened area. Jack saw them move, shifting as if of their own will around their feet and moving around the deadened trees surrounding them. "Have the Guardians come to stop me from gaining an ally of my own? How selfish…how naive of you, to think you could do such a thing. You never fight alone, so why should I? Simply because you fear the outcome does not mean it was not destined to emerge."

With that, Pitch appeared by the Guardians, smiling brightly at them all. His golden eyes seemed to shine even more brightly in the dark atmosphere, despite the sunlight shining down in the clearing on the island. "Ah, but is it not normal for us to try and avoid our fears?" North spoke, keeping his oddly jolly tone as he waved his swords around rather playfully. "When push comes to shove…we Guardians will be here to stop you from destroying that which children deserve to have. Their hope, dreams, and wonder….it will live on, unlike the death you seem intent on bringing to them."

"Is that what you think my goal is?" Pitch chuckled, shaking his head. "Then let me illuminate you on a single truth…all I seek is what you already have. That belief that runs so strong in them, for you alone, is what I deserve to have as well. Killing a few children who believe in you is hardly a high price to pay, if it means they learn to fear me, to believe that I am there in the shadows around them."

Jack's grip tightened on his staff at those words, grimacing at the image it created. Of course he should have known this guy would do something like this. He had creeped Jack out from the moment he first saw the guy, even if he hadn't realized how dark he really was. Yet, Pitch wasn't his problem. Where was Zeref? "And that is a price we can't allow anyone to pay." Tooth spoke strongly, moving closer to surround Pitch. The other Guardians were joining, taking over the fight quickly. It might be a battle of words at the moment, but it would turn into a physical one soon.

Turning towards them, Jack met Sandy's gaze. The Guardian of Dreams nodded to him, giving him a slight salute before turning to join his comrades. Quickly leaving them to deal with Pitch, Jack flew towards the trees he had first seen Pitch's shadow by, searching for wherever Zeref must have been hiding. He would have a limited amount of time now, with the Guardians distracting Pitch for him. He could hear their bantering voices growing fainter the further away he went, until Jack stopped, his eyes growing wide. He hovered at the edge of a massive lake, surrounded by trees slightly off-center on the island. On the shoreline, he saw a familiar teen resting with his eyes closed and his hands folded behind his head. "Jack. Have you come to grant me my request?" His voice was quiet, soft and devoid of any real hope as he remained still. He didn't even glance towards Jack, though the winter spirit figured he'd grown familiar enough with the shift in temperature that occurred when Jack was near to recognize his approach.

Landing next to him, Jack swallowed. "You know that isn't really the kind of thing I do, Zeref."

"Then why not think of it as one of your games? Consider me…the boss, of sorts. The final goal, the greatest achievement you can have…" He trailed off, sitting up slowly. "Or do you desire the end of the world as well? Pitch would not object to another ally, if you wish. I suppose…I suppose we could reject this world together, Jack Frost. We could destroy this miserable place as a team, side by side, until there is nothing left that will make us feel…"

"Alone?" Jack watched as Zeref grew silent, his head falling slightly. "Zeref, if no one is alive anymore…what would that change? Would you really feel better, about living your life? About this isolation we share?"

Looking towards him, Zeref's eyes finally met Jack's. Unlike before, he saw that the red had faded, becoming black once more. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, and he simply looked broken. "What else can I do? This power…Jack, I can do nothing but kill. I was created to extinguish life, and if that is my sole purpose…why should a monster like me exist? Why must I live on, to create such suffering in the world?"

"To help others understand how to move on from such tragedies." Jack stared out over the lake, not noticing as Zeref's eyes widened, stunned by Jack's serious response. "I've been talking to those Guardians, Zeref. Learning more…so I could try and answer some of your questions for a change. I'll admit, I'm not all that great at taking things seriously, and it feels weird to…not be making a joke out of this." Really, he wanted to lighten the mood with anything at this point. It just felt…wrong, to not be doing so. Yet, that wasn't the kind of person Zeref was. Without Jack's magic, Zeref didn't want to go out and play games or have fun like he did.

"Few know that better than I do, I think. Have they gotten irritated with your antics as well? Is that why you are speaking to me alone?" He was smiling faintly, looking oddly amused despite the lack of games being played.

Chuckling, Jack shook his head. "The kangaroo, maybe, but the others? I can't really say. They are way too serious for my liking…so in that sense, I guess they're all boring like you are."

"Yet you are still here." Zeref sighed, closing his eyes. "Jack…if this continues to go on, I will not be able to hold myself back. I'm…I'm growing to despise this world and all it contains. My magic destroys it, few can see me, and even the other spirits around…they refuse to acknowledge that this power is even an issue. Everything in this world is built to reject my very existence, to isolate me and force me to—"

"That's because you are afraid of death." Jack glanced towards him, cutting Zeref off. "Isn't that right?"

There was a pause, before Zeref finally spoke. "You sound like Pitch." He was quiet, and after a moment, he chuckled and shook his head. "Maybe that is okay. Maybe…it makes this easier, I think. You see…I do fear death, and what it will do to myself if I continue to create more. However…the person that once began his path with bloodied hands is gone. I am Grim Reaper…and I shall embrace this power, before it controls myself. That is my destiny, and if you won't stop me, you are only standing in my way."

He rose to his feet completely now, standing and facing Jack. The red was back, and Jack left his staff hanging by his side. "Then go ahead, do your worst." He needed to show Zeref that there was another option. This was going bad fast, and Jack had no other ideas in mind. If…if he could pull it off and actually survive, maybe Zeref would see that there wasn't just death in his future. So, Jack took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. He wasn't going to fight his friend. Really, fighting in general wasn't anything he was prepared for, not seriously like this. Opening his eyes again, he met Zeref's red irises and released his grip on the staff. It fell to the grass with a soft thump, and Jack held his arms out wide. "I'm not going to fight you, Zeref. We're friends, and no matter what happens, I'm not letting that change. So, maybe I will take your advice…let's play a little game, you and I. Target practice, training just like before. You take aim…and try and hit a target that isn't moving."

Really, Jack had never gone this easy against Zeref. The other man seemed to know that as well, narrowing his eyes. "A deception, like usual." He raised his hand, black fog swirling around and spiraling into an orb above his palm. "Just like everyone else in my life, you will vanish too and leave me all alone. You do so every year, and now, you will leave and not return. This is goodbye, my false friend, deceiving me with kind words and false promises to remain by my side. I will not let myself be tricked into returning to the path that will only lead to further suffering…that will force my hand against my will, when now I choose who to kill on my own."

"Then I hope you can grow to realize that you don't have to hate life to accept death." Jack watched as Zeref glared at him harshly, before launching his attack at the winter spirit.

"Silence! I don't want to listen to you anymore!" Zeref closed his eyes, hunching over. Sucking in a sharp breath, he seemed to snap out of his haze just after launching the orb towards Jack. "Wait…what have I done? What…Jack, why aren't you moving?" Yet, Jack simply smiled at him, feeling the orb collide with his stomach harshly. It sent him flying back, and he groaned as it slammed him into a tree on the other edge of the lake. Black shadows spanned outward once the force was unable to move him, surrounding his body in an instant. It felt like it was robbing the air of oxygen, and Jack suddenly struggled to breath. He hunched over on the ground, gasping for air that didn't seem to enter his lungs. His chest burned and his back ached, but he did not move or make an attempt to escape. "Jack! No…please no, I didn't mean to…I didn't really want to…" Zeref was mumbling to himself, falling to his knees and crying out. "Let me listen…listen to what you had to say. Please…I'll listen, if you just save yourself this once. I don't…I don't want to play this game of yours, Jack. It…it isn't like your usual ones."

"No…" Jack groaned, trying to speak as the black haze slowly began to fade away. He managed to inhale his first decent breath since it began, though he wasn't certain how much time had really passed. The grass around him was dead, as were the trees surrounding that section of the lake. "It isn't. I told myself…that I wouldn't be playing games with you today, Zeref. I told myself I'd finally be serious for a change…to try and show you that this power of yours isn't just something to hate and be feared."

He saw Zeref staring at him, a pained smile flashing across his face. "You're alive…I didn't…this curse, it didn't—"

"Kill me?" Jack had to admit, he was feeling oddly like this was a dream now. Really, surviving was a shock, but he had to press forward if he really wanted to make an impact on Zeref with this. "No, you didn't. And really, I don't think you can. You might be powerful, and maybe you do have that creepy death magic going on, but you aren't meant to be something to destroy all life, Zeref. Can't you see that?"

"Then what is this power supposed to do? Why does it exist?" Zeref looked towards Jack with pleading eyes. "Death…as natural as it is, it is not something anyone desires. Even if it were…I can hardly determine how to control it, without distancing myself from the idea that living things deserve to continue living on. Why must I abandon life to control this power? Why must I become…this monster that destroys what little I care for, in order to gain peace of mind?"

"Because magic is emotion." Jack might not have understood a whole lot of what the Guardians said, but that much had become painfully obvious. "It's why I couldn't explain how my power worked…why it responded just by me wanting something to happen. Unlike you…I was never afraid of what it would create. I didn't have a reason to be, but that doesn't mean it can't be dangerous if I'm not careful." Staring at the lake, Jack sighed. Moving back towards Zeref, he grabbed his staff and walked towards the lake. Touching the edge to the water, Jack watched as the entire surface froze over, becoming a sea of ice. "Take this, for instance. It seems safe enough, and if it really was winter…kids might try and go out and play on this lake." Zeref frowned, glancing towards Jack with narrowed eyes. "But it is only frozen at the surface. If someone were to try and go out on this lake now…" Moving towards the trees, Jack found a loose branch that had fallen to the ground. Tossing it onto the lake, he watched as it crashed through the thin covering of the water, splashing down below. "They'd fall in, and I don't think it would be all that easy to recover from that."

There was an odd expression on Zeref's face, something thoughtful yet distant as he focused on Jack. "No…I don't think they would." He smiled faintly, glancing out towards the water. "Unless a miracle of some form occurred."

Whatever Zeref was thinking about was lost on Jack, so he continued on. "Each of our gifts have their downsides, Zeref. There are dangers to all of them if we look closely enough at them. Sure, maybe yours is more obvious than others, but that doesn't mean it is all bad."

"And if emotion controls such a power, why do I lack control? Jack, until I learned that it allowed me to decide what my magic did, I never once desired to cause death."

"And that's exactly why you can't control it." Jack saw Zeref frown, tilting his head at Jack. "Every spirit's magic is different…the Guardians called it a center or something, but I didn't quite get what it meant. Basically…what I could understand was that a single emotion or trait is supposed to be the focus of what powers your magic. For you…to create death magic, you have to focus on death itself. By fearing death, by shying away from your magic…you were too afraid to wield it and control it, afraid that it would mean that you really were this monster you don't want to be."

Glancing at his hands, Zeref closed his eyes. "But…then that means I truly must abandon life to—"

"No, you don't." Jack held his hand out towards Zeref, smirking at his friend. "You're the one always telling me that all lives end in death, Zeref. Why not start there? Start by believing what you tell others, by accepting that death exists. Then, you'll be able to appreciate the limited time all living things have…and not be afraid when that time is spent."

"Embrace life and death at once…" Zeref trailed off, smiling faintly. "Become a living contradiction." Jack had a feeling the idea would amuse Zeref, unlike the challenge the Guardians thought it would be. "I suppose I am already close enough, alive yet not truly living in this state." He paused, glancing towards Jack. "Would…would you continue to assist me, Jack Frost? While I feel confident enough that I could begin the process…I…I'd rather not be quite so alone anymore. After my actions with Pitch, the Guardians won't be so fond of me, I imagine."

"You know I wouldn't miss the chance to bring a snow storm to your area every once in a while, Zeref." Jack grinned walking towards him and holding out his hand. "We started this thing together, and I'm not going to just abandon you part way through. Sure, maybe we figured out a thing or two from the Guardians, but that doesn't mean we have all of our answers." Zeref frowned, while Jack grinned. "I still want to know where I came from, and why I became Jack Frost. It doesn't seem like it'd be so bad to discover those answers while helping you figure out who you are meant to be as Grim Reaper."

"And if I kill again? If I can't…control this enough?"

"Then we'll live together on a place like this island." Jack flew into the air, spinning around and laughing. Eventually, he landed at the center of the lake, balancing on his staff with a grin as he used the wind to keep himself light enough to stay there. "A place like this seems like a good home for us spirits with no place to go. Tooth has her own home, North claimed the entire north pole, if you can believe that, and Bunny has this place called the Warren. The two of us? We've got nothing, so I'd say we make this place ours. A place to go to…when we need to take a break from the world."

Glancing around, Zeref smiled faintly. "A place…to get away from the world." He shook his head, sighing. "I think I could use a home like that. And if you are willing to accept such an isolated place, then I suppose I would be content to remain here."

Snorting, Jack shook his head. "Come on, even I need a break from kids every once in a while." He paused, thinking about it a bit further. "Okay…maybe not that often, but a few of them can be downers. I mean, the other month when I was trying to give some kids a snow day, all they would talk about was how it would interfere with their egg hunt or something weird coming up soon." He frowned, thinking back to the advice the other Guardians were giving, before slowly smiling. "You know what? I think it might be fun to do just that next year…that kangaroo will never see me coming, and it'll be payback for him thinking I couldn't handle talking to you on my own."

"Kangaroo?" Zeref frowned, while Jack laughed.

"Remind me to tell you about them later. For now, all you need to know is that I've got some fun pranks planned out in the future for one of the Guardians I just met. Are you up for helping me out with a few of them? I mean, it sounds like you're kinda wanting to hang out with me for a while, so that means a lot of travel and a lot of snow for a while. Plus, games and having fun are a requirement around me, Zeref."

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head and nodded. "Of course they are. I suspected no less when I asked for your assistance. I think…fun just might be what I need, to start enjoying life again. Therefore, perhaps we should work together on this odd prank of yours. What did you have in mind?"

"Alright, so it all revolves around this holiday known as Easter, when the kangaroo goes around bribing, I mean 'gifting', kids with…" Jack trailed off, throwing an arm over Zeref's shoulders as he continued to explain the holiday to his friend. Really, Zeref should've known about it from his life before, but it would have ruined the fun of teasing Bunny without that Guardian being here. Now that Zeref wasn't helping Pitch, the worst of their concerns were over and he could relax and return to his usual games. Maybe one day he'd run into the Guardians again, but for now, it was time for him and Zeref to enjoy this existence in their own way. His own little experiment had only proven that spirits weren't going away anytime soon, after all. They might as well enjoy their existence. Even if there were dark moments and fears in the world trying to bring them down, Jack would there to push Zeref away from those thoughts and help him stay on the path to being the Grim Reaper he knew the moon wanted Zeref to be.

 **And now we've finished! I do hope you enjoyed this story here. I had a lot of fun writing it, imagining how Jack and Zeref really would act if they somehow became friends. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!**


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